




•4fc -.V V» 1\\ \ 



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THE 

AUTHENTIC AND IMPARTIAL 



LIFE 



OF 

MRS. MARY ANNE CLARKE, 

INCLUDING 

NUMEROUS ORIGINAL LETTERS 

AXD 

ANECDOTES OF PERSONS DEEPLY INTERESTED, 

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED. 
WITH A. 

COMPENDIOUS VIEW OF THE WHOLE PROCEEDINGS, 

Both Public and Private, 
ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE LATE IMPORTANT 

INVESTIGATION OF THE CONDUCT 

OF 

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 

THE DUKE OF YORK, 

— — =>•«»$««>««=—— 

BY W. CLARKE, ESQ. 



LONDON: 

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, 

AND PUBLISHED BY T. KELLY, PATERNOSTER ROW, AND S©LD BY ALL 
OTHER BOOKSELLERS IN TOWN AND COUNTRY. 

1809. 






£>3G>>f3>7 



frintid ty Rj»x* and WftUO, LitO^ Britain* 



DEDICATION. 



To GWILLIM LLOYD WARDLE, Esq. M.P. 

Sir, 

A tie high and honourable situation in which the result of a re- 
cent enquiry has placed you , justly demands not only the attention, 
but the tribute of acknowledgment from every British bosom; from 
every true lover of our laws and excellent constitution, when ad' 
ministered with clean hands and uncorrupied hearts. From such 
persons, sir. you have already reaped the rich reward of welLme- 
rited eulogium ; not. perhaps, from the highest, generally speak- 
ing, but, undoubtedly , from the best of men, the best citizens , 
and the sovereign's truest friends. 

Sir, it is to your unshaken fidelity in the hour of menace and 
danger, that the country is indebted to a discovery and a defect: of 
the minion* of corruption, which will nev-r be obliterated from 
the annals of history Every volume which embraces ihfse inte- 
resting details, will cany in itself a claim upon posterity : a claim, 
sir. which will derive all its energy from the man who was thr first 
to stand forward in checking that current which eventually aimed 
at the levelling of all distinction between political or moral justice, 
and to set even decorum at defiance! — And whose advocates, in 
order to add the climax to their turpitude, would have overwhelmed 
Justice itself with the weight of an assumed dignity, and a pre- 
tended privilege to evade that enquiry which conscious integrity 
is known to court, or to dare, but never to shun. 

Your own example, sir, has afforded an instance of the force of 
conscious rectitude in repelling the shafts of malignity. A person 
of less fortitude might have sunk under the heavy imputation of 
being a conspirator against the house of his sovereign:. Your per- 
severance, sir, has rebutted the unfounded charge back again in 
the face of your enemies. The country at large are witnesses of 
your triumph. To you, and your virtuous and truly independent 
adherents in the House of Commons, they look forward for the 
renovation of a constitution majestic even in its decay. 

The numbers that are daily avowing themselves your friends, 
are a convincing proof that public virtue, and genuine patriotism, 
though long dormant, and amused by a succession of political pre- 
tenders, are qualities not yet extinguished in the hearts of Britons* 
The issue, sir, of the important investigations began under these 
auspices, will convince the world of the purity and propriety of 
your endeavours. And upon none will leave a deeper, or more 
tasting, impression, than, 

Sir, 

Your most obedient^ 

And most devoted' humble Servant, 

THE AUTHOR. 



INTRODUCTION. 



1 O say nothing of the absurd and contradictory 
accounts, which have been hitherto circulated con- 
cerning Mrs. Clarke, it has been an additional mis- 
fortune to the public, that all these detads concern- 
ing her, have either been too small or too large, too 
scanty or too voluminous, to suit with a proper com- 
prehension of the subject. But the present work, 
derived from more intimate connection, and authentic 
sources, unites every particular of importance, rela- 
tive to tliis celebrated female, in one point of view. 
To be brief, yet clear, and full, without running 
into extraneous matter, has been our principal ob- 
ject. The reader will here find every circumstance 
worthy of notice in the life of Mrs. Clarke, or in 
the character of those with whom she has been con- 
nected. Mere, to private information, is added, 
every thing that can possibly interest the reader, iii 
the public proceedings. We flatter ourselves, that 
the true multum in parvo has been attained ; and 
that, while much will be found to amuse and inform, 
the reader will happily escape that disgust and dis- 
appointment, which is sure to attend upon long, 
dry, and tedious, details. 

To preserve, as a sacred record, the remembrance 
of an event, of such astonishing magnitude and 
interest to the British public, we flatter ourselves 
will be the ardent desire of every true lover of the 
country. 



AUTHENTIC and IMPARTIAL. 

LIFE 

OF 

MRS. MARY ANNE CLARKE, 



jVlSS. MARY ANNE CLARKE is an instance of no or- 
dinary kind, to illustrate the observation that has been made 
of great effects springing from trifling causes. Mr. Wilber- 
force, in a speech made during the course of the Duke of 
York's business before the House of Commons, justly ob- 
served, that the fate of the nation might have been entrusted 
by the Commander-in-chief to the hands of a woman, who, 
worming from him the secrets of the State, might possibly 
have been induced to communicate them to the enemy ; and, 
in this manner, the ruin of the country must have followed 
as an inevitable consequence. 

With much less attraction, and with abilities perhaps in- 
ferior to Mrs. Clarke, the celebrated Mrs. Arabella Behn 
was well known as a very intelligent spy in behalf of the 
English court, during a part of the reign of Charles the 
Second, when this lady was employed by his ministers in 
Holland. While she was there, the son of one of the mem-» 
bers of the states-general became so passionately enamoured 
of her, that he persuaded her to elope with him to Antwerp. 
In this city Mrs. Behn, through his means, became acquainted 
with all the measures adopted by the Dutch against England, 
before they were able to carry them into execution. It isevett 
asserted, that she apprised the English Ministers of the in- 
tention of the Dutch to sail up the Thames, and destroy our 
fleet, which at first was considered as a jest ; though the event, 
after they had visited Chatham, and succeeded in a measure 
astonishing, convinced the court that Mrs. Behn's informa- 
tion might be depended on : From similar causes, similar 
effects may always be expected. 



To have obtruded another Life of Mrs. Clarke upon the 

public, after so many scantlings have dropped from the 
press, would have been trivial, were it not lor this one con- 
sideration, viz. that not any one of these lives are either au- 
thentic or impartial. To court that favour, which the sense 
of the public has evidently declared itself averse to, lias 
been the reason that Mrs. Maty Anne Clarke has been re- 
presented in the most unfavourable point of view. The in- 
formation even respecting her birth is erroneous. She was 
born at Oxford, about 1772. She was not the daughter of 
a Mr. Farquhar, a printer : she was the daughter of a Mr. 
Thompson, a man above the rank of Mr. Farquhar, who, 
though a man of fair character, and a benevolent disposi- 
tion, never rose above that of a journeyman printer. The 
mother of Mrs. Clarke, it seems, had been left a widow du- 
ring the American war, when Miss Thompson was under 
fourteen years of age. What has been said of her early 
extravagance in keeping her father's house, for the unfair 
purpose of insinuating an early depravity of character, is 
all, as Burchell would say, mere fudge : and for the best 
of all possible reasons, viz. because poor Farquhar had no 
house to keep : and, if he had, Miss Clarke's mother was 
fully adequate to that charge. Her father, being a respect- 
able tradesman, gave her at least the rudiments of an ex- 
cellent education. Miss Thompson, as a spirited girl, pro- 
bably could not reconcile herself to habits and manners, 
under Mr. Farquhar, peshaps very different from tltose she 
had experienced under a fond parent. It is therefore true, 
that she sought an early opportunity for disengaging her- 
self from her new home, viz. the lodgings of a journeyman 
printer, in Black Haven Alley, Cursitor Street : but it is 
manifestly false to assert, that either u a wanton profusion, 
or an avarice of money, were two prominent features in her 
character from her earliest days." 

Exactly of this stamp is the story fold of her in some 
u Spurious Memoirs" of her connection with a pawnbroker, 
from whom she contrived to raise money to answer her extra- 
vagance. 

But it is undoubtedly true, as admitted by some of her 
enemies, that even at this time "her person and manners 
were infinitely above her condition." 

It is true that she was generally admired through all the 
neighbourhood : it is true, that no one saw her, and, least 
of all, that no one who conversed with her could suspect her 
to be the daughter of a journeyman printer. 

The reports of her having played Portia on a private 
stage are equally unfounded. Mrs. Clarke, we are assured, 



never acted Portia, and never appeared on any stage. And 
even if she bad, it should rather have been construed into 
a symptom of an aspiring temper, or the result of an inno- 
cent gaiety, than any evidence of a depraved mind. 

Though the memorialists of Mrs. Clarke have been silent 
upon ihe subject, yet it is generally believed that Mr. Far- - 
qubar separated from her mother some time before his death, 
which happened about twenty years since,- we believe, in the 
neighbourhood of Depllbrd. This circumstance, leaving 
a young woman more unguarded than she might otherwise 
have been, under the ej T e even of a -father-in-law, should have ; 
some consideration with those disposed to censure the early- 
part of her conduct. 

It is however certain, that she married, at Pancras, near 
London, at the early age of sixteen, Mr. Clarke, the son 
of a respectable builder in Angel Court, Snow Hill. This 
Mr. Clarke left his son an annuity of fifty pounds per an- 
num ; and for some time he carried on the business of a 
stone-mason in Golden Lane, &c. After a course of three 
years, a change in his circumstances induced him to take 
his family to Bayswater. Mrs. Clarke and her husband 
afterwards lived together in Craven Place, on the Kensing- 
ton Road, where it appears, in evidence before the House 
of Commons, she was visited by all the friends and relatives 
of her husband ; of course her character was till then irre- 
proachable. 

Craven Place, Kensington Gravel Pits, was the last place 
where she resided with her husband. Whether the cause 
of this separation rested entirely with her, those only, who 
were acquainted with the habits and the disposition of her 
husband, are best able to judge. Mr. Clarke, we are told, 
from joining in dissolute and expensive company, not only 
distressed himself, but more than once was the means of con- 
taminating the health of his wife ! But though Mr. Clarke's 
own extravagance laid the foundation for the separation from 
his wife, it would be a great injury to her feelings and cha- 
racter to assert, as some have done, that Mr. Clarke, in his 
misfortunes, was forgotten and neglected by his wife. So far 
from this, it is well known that, after she was settled in Glou- 
cester Place, he was permitted to call there, and that, as long 
as Mrs. Clarke's finances would admit of her bounty, he was 
allowed five guineas per week. 

Mr. Clarke, who is still living, had a brother equally as 
unfortunate as himself; and who, though he bad upwards of 
70001. as a portion from his father, afterwards shot himself 
in his chaise near Pentonville, one evening as he was returning 
home from, town ; in consequence of the embarrassment of his 
affairs. 



After Mrs, Clarke had thus broken the line of rectitude, 
and resolved upon a lite of precarious pleasure, rather than 
a course of suffering, we are told a worthy baronet, by pro- 
fession a bar ist«*r, stepped to her assistance. Her first inter- 
^nv\ with this gentleman, it is slated, was at Willis's 
Rooms ; but as, after some time had elapsed, he was d^af 
to every proposal for a settlement, she left him. About six 
months residence in Wiltshire was the whole period of this 
connection. 

Sir Ciarles Milser, we ure told, was the next who ranked 
among her admirers j but this gentleman she soon dis* 
carded. 

Sir James Brudenell, it is said, afterwards made her pro- 
posals far beyond her expectations; bui, it is added, that 
she rejected his ultimate proposals, because bei heart was 
not concerned. It is further staled, that, during this con- 
nection, Sir James was considerably startled by a bill from 
ihv lace-merchant for the small sum of 2001. and which, 
when he communicated his sentiments upon the same to Mrs. 
Clarke, he suffered her to leave town without once bidding 
her adieu Resentment, on her part, it is said, proved more 
powerful than love ; for, on receiving a note from that gen- 
tleman, she wrote him thus in answer: ■•" I must hereafter 
despise the ungenerous man, who, after going so far, aban- 
dons me to my folly.' ' 

Her next lover, it is said, though she had an elegantly fur- 
nished house in Park Lane, nevertheless kept spies upon her 
conduct. Mrs. Clarke saw through this, and gave him just 
cause for his jealousy, if he had none before: 

During this period of gay life, Mrs Clarke, it is under- 
stood frequenting genteel shops, and other places of fashion* 
able resort, got acquainted with several great characters, 
among whom were Lord Barry more, Messrs. H. and O. 
army-agents, who considered her as a constellation in the 
Cyprian hemisphere 

One of Mrs. Clarke's apologists, who seems willing to 
skreen her from any intervening acts of moral turpitude, 
during the period that intervened between her leaving her 
husband and forming a connection wilh the Duke of York, 
wishes to make it appear that the expenses of the house in 
Tavistock Place were from the first defrayed by his Royal 
Highness. Unwilling to admit that Mrs. Clarke rose sq 
high as to attract the Duke's notice, by gradation, and by 
a previous acquaintance with several other men of gallantry 
and intrigue ; and, without accounting for the manner in 
which he so unfortunately became attached to this lady, 
he would have it believed that she directly stepped out of 



the house of the stone-mason into that of the Commander- 
iii-chief. Mrs. Clarke, also, through motives best known 
t< If, it is said, has constantly avoided giving any ac- 

c;yh a u her first acquaintance with the Duke of York. It 
been supposed they first saw each other at one of the 
enng-places, in lS02or 1803; soon after which she re- 
Viut'd at a Mr Nichoi's, a baker, at Harnostead. But it was 
er.rly in 1804. when the very expensive establishment we 
ha ye just alluded to was set up for her. A superb house, 
elegant car riages, numerous servants, and every appendage 
of quality, &c. &c. : but the wonder ceased, when it was 
observed who was the principal visitor. 

Besides Gloucester Place, she had another residence at 
Weybridge, in Surrey, which is conveniently situated in 
respect to Oatlands. In the summer of 1805, she visited 
Worthing, where she shared in the admiration bestowed 
npo: all the most fashionable visitors ; and where it was ac- 
knowledged by the Duke, that she had more influence than 
the Queen. Still i* does not appear that Mrs. Clarke was 
by any means desirous of an ostentatious display of splendid 
houses or equipage. The princely establishment in Glou- 
cester Place, it is said, was the suggestion of His Royal 
Highness, not of Mrs. Clarke One fact is certain;— the 
lease of that house was purchased by the Duke of York, and 
in his name; a circumstance which would not probably 
have occurred, had it been bough? for her. He indeed gave it 
to her afterwards, when she importuned him to pay her debts. 
Nothing, in (act, could exceed the liberality of th^ establish- 
ment in Gloucester Place. It consisted of more than twenty 
se.vants:— a housekeeper, five or six maids, two butlers, and 
six N other men-servants. Three or more men-cooks were 
daily employed, each of whom had a guinea per day. 
Mrs. Clarke was allowed to receive what company bhe chose. 
The bare wages and livery-clothing exceeded lOOOi. a year, 
The furniture was the most magnificent that could be pro- 
cured of the kind. From four to five hundred pounds 
were paid for her pier-glasses: and her wine-glasses were 
valued at nearly two guineas each. There wme also two 
coaches, and from right to t^ii horses. ' nd as tor the 
country-house at Weybridge, its expences may be guessed 
from this single circumstance, viz. that the oil-cloth, for 
the passage only, cost fifty pours. Still with respect to 
splendid appearances, it seems beyond a doubt that the 
Duke of York was not a whit behind his mistress in the taste 
and relish of extravagance. 

Something of the nature of the Duke's economy may be 
collected from a statement made by Mrs. Clarke before the 



House of Commons. In answer to a question put to her by 
Mr. Yorke, whether she meant to say the Duke did not pay 
any of her tradesmen's bills, she said, she did not recollect 
that ever he did, excepting one to a milliner — To this she 
afterwards added, that he paid 13001. to the silversmith to 
balance what she had paid ; and that, besides this, he paid 
for one landau ; and that was all she could recollect. One 
thousand per annum was then the sum allowed her by the 
Duke, during her residence in Gloucester Place, which was 
not quite three years. 

The following are the various items of the silversmith's 
bill, delivered in 1804 ; when payment was made by Mrs. 
Clarke of 5001. on account of a service of plate. 





Mrs. CLARKE, Dr. 




1804. 
16 May. 


The whole of the above-mentioned ar- 
ticles for - 


1,363 14 10 




An elegant rich chas'sil r } 153. 16. 
epergne,with4branches, > 100. 
and rich cut glasses tod° y 


139 13 




Very large oval sil r tea tray 183. 8. 


84 




An elegant rich chas d sil r £ oz. 
tea pot,sq r ivory handle S 22 


16 16 




12 Gadroond sil r soup^gjQ i 
plates, to correspond > C) ^' , / 
with the others > °' l 


105 


] j June. 


2 Large silver gadroond > 129 9 a'S 
waiters - $ 49 11 


58 3 




Putting on silver plates for arms, and 
polishing the above 


i 
16 5 6 




Engraving arms and crests on y' above 


21 6 0j 




Silver tankard 


15 15 0\ 




P r sugar tongs 


IS oj 




1,821 11 4 



As to Mrs. Clarke's giving concerts, Mr. Cobbct seems 
to have been misinformed on this head ; her time, whilst 
it Gloucester Place, was by no means spent " amongst 
music-masters, singing boys, and drawing-masters." The 



only singing-master she knew was Com ; certainly as in- 
offensive a character as any in the profession. Mr. Town, 
it is admitted, taught her to paint on velvet,; but the man- 
ner he lias since spoken of her shews his disposition rather 
to flatter the great than otherwise. Upon the whole, it has 
been justly observed, whatever may have been the crimes 
and failings of Mrs. Clarke, that to compare her, as some 
have done, to Kitty Fisher, Lucy Cooper, and Fanny Mur- 
ray, is childish. These abandoned prostitutes were only 
distinguished by their selfish extravagance. If any quality 
appears most prominent in Mrs. Clarke's character, it must 
be her disinterestedness : for if she had ensured a settlement 
to herself while she was with the Duke, and had not had one 
to seek after she left him, there might have been some pro- 
priety in comparing her with other kept-mistresses. In fact, 
from some traces of her character, that bear a benevolent 
construction, she might with more propriety have been 
compared to the celebrated Madam De Maintenon, who, 
under Louis XIV. was an economist in the midst of plea- 
sure. Mrs. Clarke's moderate request, on parting with the 
Duke, for an annuity of 4001. per annum, and its refusal, 
are sufficient refutations of any unqualified censure upon 
the score of avarice and meanness. Besides, her debts, 
which her protector refused to pay, when she withdrew from 
his protection, did not much exceed two thousand pounds. 

It was in the course of her first living with the Duke of 
York, that Mrs. Clarke became intimately acquainted with 
Mr. Donovan, a gentleman to whom she w r as under some 
obligations. It would seem that, like another Desdemona, 
she admired him for the variety of his fortunes as a soldier : 
but it is not to be understood that she granted any favours 
to any gentleman while she lived with His Royal High- 
ness. 

Mr. Donovan was originally a subaltern in the British 
army during the American war, when he served with some 
distinction as to personal bravery. In the course of a rapid 
promotion, Ensign Donovan became a first-lieutenant in the 
King's Rangers, and afterwards a captain of a Royalist 
regiment hi North Carolina. In 1780, he was promoted to 
a lieutenancy in the Regulars, in consequence of a patron- 
age of Major Cochrane and Colonel Tarleton. Lieutenant 
Donovan distinguished himself much in the action of the 
Hanging Rock ; and, in the battle of Camden, which shortly 
followed, he was left for dead, in consequence of the wounds 
he then received. 

Lieutenant Donovan afterwards assisted in the maritime 
service, by procuring a body of seamen, v, ; hom he carried 



8 

ill person to TiOrd rtowc t with them he also voluntcrcrl fri 
several cruizes upon the coast; and his lordship was so welt 
pleased with this aealj t hat he dhered Mr. Donovan a com- 
mission, which the latter, it is said* declined, being qontcnt- 
ed with having excercised his duty in advancing his Ma- 
jesty's service, and augmenting his own personal reputa* 
tion. 

It would be an endless task to characterise all the gentle- 
men, with whom Mrs. Clarke has been engaged in transact- 
ing business as an armv-agcnl, &c. — We shall, therefore, 
return to that period ot her history, when she broke off all 
connection with His Royal Highness; to which circum- 
stance, the country is indebted to her for all the important 
discoveries, which have been gradually developing them- 
selves, and creating surprise and astonishment, since that 
period. 

The separation between Mrs. Clarke and His Royal High- 
ness, before alluded to, and which led to consequences of 
such uncommon magnitude, took place so far back as the 
11th of May, 1806. This we learn from the evidence of Mr. 
Adam, the Duke's agent. About that period, when His 
Highness wiished to detach himself from this lady, he direct- 
ed Mr. Adam to obtain an interview with Mrs. Clarke. 
After some little hesitation, he says, His Highness's mind 
being made up to separate himself from this person, I was 
again asked by him, whether I had any difficulty in under- 
taking the communicating to her this determination. My 
being to wait on her was announced in a short letter from the 
Duke to her. I made the communication ; and I accom- 
panied it with this declaration: u That the Duke of York 
thought it his duty, if her conduct was correct, to give her 
an annuity of 400/. a year, to be paid quarterly ; that he 
could enter into no obligation in writing, by bond, or other- 
wise; that it must test entirely upon his word to be per- 
formed, according to her behaviour; and that he might, 
therefore, have it in his power to withdraw the annuity, in 
case her bihaviour was such as to make him consider, that 
it was unfit it should be paid.' 11 

The conversation between Mr. Adam and Mrs. Clarke, 
upon this subject, lasted but a vrey short time: the sequel 
will make it evident, that she treated this proposition with 
merited disdain. But it should have been observed that, 
what the Duke meant by the correct conduct, which he re- 
commended to her, was, that she should not raise money in 
His Royal Highness's name, and by that means bring it into 
disgrace and discredit. 



It was oh the 27th of January, 1809, when this interesting 
investigation was brought before the House of Commons, by 
amotion, made by Mr.Wardle, to enquire into the conduct 
of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, Commander-in- 
chief, respecting promotions, the disposal of commissions, 
and the raising of new levies for the army. This motion 
being seconded by Sir Francis Burdett, it is unnecessary to 
say, produced a debate of uncommon interest and import- 
ance. It is, also, unnecessary here to dwell upon the evi- 
dence that was given, in the most indubitable proof, that a 
number of commissions had been procured and sold, under 
the Duke's authority, by Mrs. Clarke, to a variety of per- 
sons, as all the newspapers have detailed. The part that 
Mrs, Clarke herself performed in parliament, in her proper 
person, is now our immediate object: We shall only di- 
gress for one moment to describe her person. 

Though she is not a perfect beauty, she has many agree- 
able attractions ; one in particular from a well-turned arm. 
Lively and gay in conversation. Her easy demeanour, 
upon the first acquaintance, is what the French call tirii- 
nently prepossessing. She is rather small in size. 

Her face is oval, but not long ; small nose, dazzling dark 
eyes, beaming with the most irresistable archness, and capti- 
vating intelligence ; her mouth is small, and presents good 
even teeth ; her skin is delicately fair, without being of a 
dead white ; a sufficient colour adorns her cheeks, and we 
have no hesitation in saying, that, without being regularly 
handsome, she is second to none in those attractions that 
piease the opposite sex. Her whole air and deportment are 
untainted by affectation; in fact, she is nature in an undress, 
or rather in that dress which nature can give. In her ca- 
pacity she is far above mediocrity : and her letters, and her 
correct answers before the House of Commons, are sufficient 
testimonies of her abilities. During her attendance at the 
House, she was at Ellis's Coffee-Rooms, generally accom- 
panied by two friends, a gentleman and a lady. Her dress, 
during the examination was not varied: a light blue silk 
gown and coat, edged with white fur, and a muff. On her 
head she had a white cap or veil, which at no time was let 
down over her face to hide it. 

It was on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 1809, Mrs. Clarke made 
her first appearance at the bar of the House of Commons ; 
she was not the least confused, and her answers to the various 
interrogatories are marked by acutcness and poignancy: she 
has generally been cheered by the people, wherever she has 
made her appearance. 

c 



10 

Though it appeared that Mr. Wardlo, previous to his 
motion, had several conferences with Mrs. Clarke, lie own- 
ed, he believed, that he first mentioned the subject of the 
charges against the Duke of York to her: they did not come 
from her to him. 

The firmness with which even the females, who were en- 
gaged in this business, bore up against the brow-beating 
mode of examination, and even the threats of the lawyers in 
the Mouse, the Duke's advocates, would be astonishing, if 
the frequent power of truth over falsehood and deception 
had not been often experienced on the most trying and dan- 
gerous occasions. 

On Friday, the 3d of February, after some questions had 
been put to Mr. Adam by the Attorney-general, about some 
letters he had before referred to, the following written by 
Mrs. Clarke to Mr. Adam were read by the clerk of the 
House : 

" Sir, 
" On the llth of May, 1806, you waited on me, by the 
desire of FI is Royal Highness the Duke of York, to state his 
II. & 9 H.'s intention of allowing me an annuity of 400^. per 
annum. H. R. II. by his promise, is now indebted tome 
500/. I have written repeatedly, but of no avail. II. R. 
IFs conduct towards me has been so devoid of principle, 
feeling, and honour; and as his promises are not to be de- 
pended on, though even given by you, I have come to the 
determination of making my intentions known to you, for 
the consideration of II. It. Hi — and thus it is: — I solicit H. 
II. II. to make the annuity secure lor my life, and to pay me 
the arrears immediately, as my necessaries are very press- 
ing — (this be knows.) If M. R. H. refuses to do this, 1 have 
no other mode for my immediate wants, than to publish every 
circumstance ever communicated to me by H. R. H. and 
every thing which has come under my knowledge during our 
intimacy, with all his letters ; those things amount to some- 
thing serious : he is more within my power than may be ima- 
gined. Yet I wish, for II 11. H.'s sake and my own, that he 
•will make my request good, as I know full well 1 should suf- 
fer much in exposing him in my own mind ; yet, before I do 
any thing publickly, 1 will send to every one of H. R. H.'s 
family, a copy of what 1 mean to publish. Had II. R. II. 
only have been a liltle punctual, this request had never been 
made. One thing more: should II. R. II. throw up his pro- 
tection to my boy, (for I thank him much for the pas!), I hope 
lie will place him on the foundation of the Charter-house, or 
any other public school ; the child is not accountable tor my 



11 

conduct. You will please then, sir, to state (Lis communi- 
cation to the Duke of York; and, on Wednesday, I will 
send to jour house, to know what may be H. 11. R.'s inteii* 
tion; which you will please to signify by a letter to 
" Your most obedient, 

u humble Servant, 

" M. A. Clarke." 
a Sunday Mornings June 19. 

" His Royal Highness must feel, that his conduct on a late 
affair deserves all this from me, and more. 

u William. Adam, Esq. Bloomsbury Square. 
"Private." 

Indorsed Mrs. Clarke^ 
19th June, 1808.' 



" Sir 



11, Holies Street, Cavendish Square. 



" On Wednesday, finding there was not any answer to 
my letter, I am led to suppose, H. R. H. the Duke of York 
thinks proper not to make good his promise given by you, 
and that you encourage him in it. 

" I have employed myself since, in committing to paper 
every circumstance within my recollection during the inti- 
macy of H. R. H. and myself. The fifty or sixty letters of 
H. R. H. will give weight and truth to the whole. On Tues- 
day I have promised to give these up, if I hear nothing fur- 
ther after this last notice; and when once given out of my 
own possession, it will be impossible to recal. It is to gentle- 
men, and not to anj 7 publisher, they will be committed ; and 
jthose gentlemen are just as obstinate as His Royal Highness, 
and more independent: they are acquaintances of yours; 
and to relieve my wants, in pique to others, will do what the 
Puke will not : however, he has it all within his own power, 
and so he may act as he pleases. 

^ I am, Sir, 

W Your most obedient, 

" M. A. Clarke," 

ft Saturday Morning, 
" William Adam, Esq. Bloomsbury Square." 

After reading these letters, Mr. Beresford declared Mrs. 
Clarke S' an infamous woman. " And Mr. Fuller put a 
question, in his usual manner, to the Hon. Col. Wardle, 
sarcastically styling him " the accuser," but the House 
would not hear him. 



12 

Mr. Adam explained as to the child mentioned in Mrs. 
Clarke's first letter; lie said, that it was not the Duke's; and 
another member seemed to be terribly alarmed at such a 
supposition, just as if none of the Royal Dukes were not 
known to have several illegitimate children. 

The letter that was read by Mr. Adam, on Friday, Febru- 
ary 3, is of too much importance to be passed over here. 
Mr. Wardle, it seems, not being allowed by the House to 
rail another evidence or two, on matters arising out of the 
Former part of the examination, begged to put a question to 
Mr. Adam, which he began as follows: 

Q. Having stated that you have served His Royal High- 
ness the Duke of York gratuitously, may I be allowed' to 
ask, have you a sou in the army. 

A. I have: he is a lieutenant-colonel of the 21st regiment 
of foot. 

Q. At what age was he made lieutenant-colone! ? 

A. I will answer that question. Rut as 1 have received a 
letter, which I will presently read to the House, they will 
see the necessity of my answering that question, by stating 
the introduction of that person, and the progress he made in 
the army, (Hear I Jlcar!) General Sir Charles Stewart, 
who was a friend of my early life, asked me, if any of my 
live sons had a disposition or inclination for the army. [ 
fold hi.n that there was one of them, then fourteen or fifteen 
years old, who I thought had a strong tendency that way. 
Be said, you know my friendship for you, and the rules 
of the service permit my making him an ensign. He gave 
him the commission of ensign ; his regiment was in Canada, 
and the young person never joined it, but was sent by me 
to Woolwich, to receive a military education regularly; 
aad as I am asked a question of this sort, and know its ten- 
dency, from a letter I have in my pocket, 1 do not think 
it unbecoming in me to state, of so near and so dear a rela- 
tion, that he distinguished himself extremely in his progress 
at Woolwich. (Jlcar I Hear!) He received a second 
commission of lieutenant from General Sir Charles Stewart, 
equally gratuitously with my services to the Duke of York. 
When Sir Ralph Abcrcrombie, whom I likewise had the 
honour to call my intimate friend, was about to ^o out to 
the Hclder, he went under him at the age of sixteen as a 
volunteer. The House will pardon me, for it is impossible 
for me not to feel upon this subject ; I must state his merits. 
That youth landed in a hot fire, and he behaved so as to 
receive the thanks of every body around him : he remained 
actively engaged in every engagement during that expedition; 
lie had the cominand of such, a subTdivision of men as a 



1o 
O 

lieutenant commands, and they were of those troops that 
were raised as volunteers from the militia ; they were raw to 
service ; they required much management, and yet he con- 
trived to conduct them well. When he returned to this 
country, he received from His Royal Highness the Duke of 
York, without any solicitation whatever on my part, 'so 
help me God, a commission in his own regiment, the Cold- 
stream, having paved the way to make him a lieutenant in 
his own regiment, by giving him a commission in one of 
the regiments that was raised just after the affair of the 
Helder. I do not recollect the particular circumstances, 
but it will be easy to get them at the war-office, if that is 
necessary. He remained in the Coldstream regiment at 
home until the expedition to Egypt, when he went again 
under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, where he was accompanied 
by his friend at Woolwich, who had made a similar pro- 
gress with himself, the son of Sir John Warren, who was 
killed by his side. He was one of those who landed with 
the Guards in the illustrious landing commanded by Sir 
Ralph Abercrombie, and covered by Lord Keith. I have 
the happiness to say, that he distinguished himself equally 
upon that occasion. When he returned home, the Duke 
of York again gratuitously transferred him to his own regi^ 
mcnt, with the rank of major ; and he rose, as a matter of 
course, at the age, I believe, of not quite twenty-one, to 
the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the second battalion of his 
own regiment. When Colonel Wilson went abroad with 
General Maitland, Colonel Wilson intimated to me, that it 
would vacate his lieutenant-colonelcy ; and the only time 
I ever mentioned his name to the Duke of York was to men- 
tion that fact, and to leave it to his Royal Highness to do 
as he thought fit : His Royal Highness put him in the first 
battalion : and I have the happiness to think, that he has 
been a constant credit to his country, and has commanded as 
well, from the moment he was appointed lieutenant-colonel, 
as any one in the service ; and 1 desire general-officers in the 
service to speak to that. If General Moore were alive, he 
could do it. (Hear! hear!) I now beg leave to read 
this letter, which I should have considered a mere trifle, if 
it were not for this question, and put it into my pocket, 
and probably into the fire : it is written in red ink. (Read! 
Read!) 

"Sir, 
" Your character was once respected, but that is now 
all over; your shifting in the House of Commons, respect- 
ing the Duke of York's amours, would entitle any other man 



14 

to be dubbed a pimp? your activity lias been rewarded , 
you have got your sou to be a lieutenaut-colouel at the age 
of twenty : bravo! go on! induce the House of Commons, 
if you can, to decide that a prince should not be brought 

to account for profligacy to his w c; induce them to rer 

solve, that a prince need not care for the good opinion of 
those who pay him : if they do, such principles cannot be 
established by the authority of the Bearr Garden. Reform 
in Parliament is wanting : it is not when Hannibal is at the 
gate that reform should be thought of; it should be adopted 
at once. I blush for you, and the light in which you ap- 
pear before the public. The business of the Duke of York 
is now before ihe House, and upon their decision of that 
question depends their damnation or salvation. " 

" There appears no signature to this letter : I read it to 
explain the reason why 1 did not proceed directly to answer 
the honourable member's question, and I hope have satisfied 
the House." 

One member was for offering 5001. to detect the writer of 
this leitcr, and another wished to have it expunged from the 
minutes of the House ; but neither of these measures were 
adopted. 

Some additional traits of the splendour in which Mrs. 
Clarke had lived, and the embarrassments of her Royal pa. 
ramour, transpired through the evidence of a Mr. John Few, 
who was examined by Mr. Whitbread, as follows, on Tues- 
day, Feb. 7. 

Q. What business do you carry on ? 

A. An auctioneer 

Q. Do you know Mrs. Clarke ? 

A. IS T ot now, I do not. 

Q. Did you ever know her ? 

A. In the year 1803. 

Q Where did she then live? 

A. In Tavistock-place, next door to Tavistock chapel. 

Q. Did she order any furniture from you ? 

A. No; at that time I lived in Bernard -street, Russell.- 
sqnare, and I had a share in a glass concern in Holborn. 
She called ; and, by direction of my partner, I waited upon 
her ; it was to consult me about fitting up a Grecian lamp 
in her back room. Alter she had talked a little while, I sat 
down, and drank some wine with her. In the matter of con- 
versation, from one thing leading to another, she seemed to 
be acquainted witii almost every person that I knew, i sat 
there j>erhaps about half an hour : a person whom I under? 
stood to be her sister, was present. 



ti 

Q. Did she represent herself as being a married woman, 
or a person who had been married ? 

A. She talked of her late husband, and her children, who 
were then at school. 

Q. What farther passed ? 

A. Nothing more than general conversation ; I conceived 
that she knew almost every body that I knew. I can hardly 
describe her to you ; for I never met with any person mio, 
on the first interview, behaved so extremely polite and gen- 
teel to a stranger : I saw her two or three times, and drank 
wine with her ; and she consulted me about the placing of 
some glasses, and the size and shape of some figures, whether 
they were too large for the room. 

Q. Did she give any orders to you ? 

A. Yes ; she desired I would have a Grecian lamp made^ 
to fit up in the back room, which, I believe, carne to about 
20/. 

Q. What was the price of that lamp ? 

A. About 20/. I cannot say exactly ; the whole account 
with me was 20/. odd. 

Q. When was the order given for this lamp ? 

A. About the middle of May, about the 18th or 20(h of 
May : the first delivery to her was the 24th of May, 1803. 

Q. Did you see any one but Mrs. Clarke at this house ? 

A. I saw her sister, and I saw her mother, but that was 
subsequent to my bringing an action against her. When I 
arrested her, she mentioned to me at the time, that she had 
purchased that house of Mr. Burton, and given 1,200/. for 
it : I applied to Mr. Burton, and he corroborated her having 
bought it, but I do not recollect the amount. 

Q. Did you ever observe any thing which led you to be- 
lieve she was not a widow. 

A. I once called, I believe in the morning, to see whether 
the lamp was properly hung, or I was asked by an uphol- 
sterer to get him a sight of the house, and I saw a cocked 
hat ; I made an observation to the servant, and the servant 
said her mistress was a gay young widow, and had been at 
the masquerade the night before, "and of course I did not 
suspect any thing after that. 

Q. Were you paid for those articles you furnished ? 

A. Subsequently 1 was ; 1 brought an action against her^ 
but I was nonsuited. 

Q. How so? 

A. T do not understand the distinction, but she either 
pleaded her coverture, or gave it in evidence : I believe there 
is a distinction, but I do not know which it was. 



16 

Q. You were defeated, upon the ground of her being a 
married woman ? 

A. Certainly, I was in court at the time. 

(% Mr. Waudle.) 

Q. Did you ever write any letter to Mrs. Clarke upon the 
subject of this demand ? 

A. I am pretty certain I did not : I am almost certain I 
did not : do you mean the demand after my action or before ? 
I believe I did not in cither case. 

Q. Do you recollect writing any letter, threatening to ex- 
pose her ? 

A. I cannot say : I might: I drew up a hand-bill, and 
sent it to her ; but whether I sent any note to her witli that 
I cannot say : that hand-bill was warning the tradesmen in 
the neighbourhood of Gloucester Place, from trusting her. 

Q. Do you recollect sending the hand-bill to any body 
else in a letter ? 

A . Yes, I do recollect^ I enclosed one to the Duke of 
York, directed to Portman Square : I think it was. 

Q. Do you recollect whether you wrote to the Duke of 
York, when you sent the hand-bill ? 

A. I do not think I made one single letter inside: I am 
pretty certain I did not. 

Q. Are those letters your hand-writing ? 

A. Yes, this is my hand-writing; I had not the least re- 
collection that J had ever written it. 

Q. Is that not the hand-bill ? 

A. Yes, that is the hand-bill : I tried to get a copy of it 
when I was served with the order of the House, but could 
not. 

[The hand-bill and letter were delivered in, and read.] 

" Madam, 

"As I have not eard from you in reply to 
my last letter, I think myself justified in informing you, that 
in the course of a week the inclosed hand-bill will be pub- 
lished, which no doubt will prevent any other tradesman 
from subjecting himself to similar treatment. As the word- 
ing of the bill has received the legal sanction of very able 
men in the profession, I am perfectly at case in regard to 
any additional threats that may be held out to me. 

I remain your obdt. sert. 
22dJ?we, 1804. John Few, Junr." 

Mrs. Clarke, Glouccster-plncC) 
No. 18, Port man- square." 



if 

- CAUTION TO TRADESMEN, 

M This is to give Notice to the Tradesmen in the Neigh* 
foourhood of Poktman Square, that they cannot recover $ 
by Law, any Debt from Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke, for- 
merly of Tavistock- Placer Russel-Square^ but now of 
Gloucester-Place, she being a married Woman, and her 
Husband now living, though his Place of Residence was 
unlr/ioiai, even to herself or her mother. These Facts were 
proved on the Trial of an Action $ lately brought by a Trades- 
man in Holborn^ against (his Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke, for 
goods actually sold and delivered to her ; but she, availing 
herself of her Coverture (which, to the great Surprise of the 
Plain ti if, she contrived to prove), he could not by Law obtain 
any Part of his Demand: and, being consequently non-* 
suited, an Execution for her Costs was, by her Attorney, 
actual!}/ put into his, the Tradesman's, House!!! 
<; W. MARCHANT, Printer, 3, Greville Street, Holborn." 

Mr. Few, however ^ was afterwards paid the amount of 
his bill, &c. by a Mr. Comrie, a gentleman of the law; who 
was at first understood by some of the members, while under 
examination, to be a friend of Mrs. Clarke; but who, being 
pressed by them to explain his private business with tlie 
Duke, said, His Royal Highness wished to know, whether 
lie could raise the sum of 10,0001. for him upon a mort- 
gage. 

For Mr. Dowler, a particular favourite of Mrs. Clarke, 
it seems she procured an appointment in the Commissariat; 
Viz. that of assistant-commissary, at 15s. per day ; though 
she owned, that she had received two sums of 2001 and 800L 
from that gentleman. Mrs. Clarke's agency to procure votes 
upon a certain question in the House, during the admini- 
stration of the late Mr. Pitt, appears in a very curious point 
of view, from the following answer, which she gave to Sir 
George Warrender, on the subject. 

Sir George. — From whom was Mr. Dowler's appointment 
notified to you ? 

Mrs. Clarke. — From His Royal Highness: he told me, 
that he had spoken to Mr* Charles Long upon it, and it 
was settled at last : that there had been some little differ- 
ence in the Prince's regiment; that Mr. Manby was obliged 
to leave it* and His Royal Highness promised to the 
Prince of Wales to give something to Manby; and, to seem 
Very civil to him, he must gazette him before Mr. Dowler: 
but before Mr. Dowler proposed to give him the money for 
the situation, I fancy he was to have procured some votes 

D 



IS 

iv-i the Defence 13 Li I ; 1 think it was something like that 
name: Mr. Put u;is very ill at the lime, and F think, it was 
something of that sort mentioned ; however, Mr. Dowler 
could not bring forward the number of voters that I had 
given the list of to the Duke; seventeen, I think, and there 
were very few of then came; but I recollect one gentleman, 
General Clavering, got up, from Scotland, Lord John Camp- 
bell ; and although Lord Lorn would have voted with Mr. 
Pitt, and of course his brother would have gone the same 
way, but he was not in London), still it was considered, that 
it was a great favour bringing up Lord John from Scotland; 
he was the only man that I recollect, and that was through 
my means. (A loud lau^h.) \ had a few more friends 
besides, but it dropped. Mr. Dowler could not bring the 
men forwards: some of them were in the Opposition. His 
Royal Highness told me he gave the list to Mr. Charles 
Long, and he was delighted with it. 

Q. \ ou have used an expression relative to Captain Tuc- 
ker, that Greenwood had him.; explain what you mean by 
that expression? 

A. 1 do not know; I never enquired farther into it; I was 
very angry that the man should be only laughing with me : 
it was Mis Koyal Kighness's expression, not mine; but I am 
almost certain that Captain Sandon knows him, and about it, 
though perhaps he will not own to it. 

Q. Were you in the habit of shewing to the Duke of York 
the letters which contained the applications to you for influ- 
ence? 

-\. Yes, I was; but I did not trouble him with all, not 
many, upon the same subject ; if a man wrote one letter first, 
J might shew him that, but if he wrote me ten more, I might 
not troupe Mis Royal Highness with those: they frequently 
used to eali, and wait, for answers while His Royal Highness 
was there, though they did not pretend to know he was 
there. 

Q. Then, if those letters contained an offer of money to 
you for the exertion of your influence, His Royal Highness 
must have been aware of it ? 

A. He was aware of every thing that I did; but I never 
was very indelicate with him upon those points. 

Q. Did you shew to His Royal Highness letters containing 
*uch offers, as well as letters that did not contain them ? 

A. Yes, I did 

We have mentioned Mr. Dowler as an old favourite of Mrs. 
Clarke. She stated before the House, that she had known 
this gentleman nine or ten years; a pretty certain indication 
thai the Duke was not the first wko seduced her from the 



1.9 

paths of rectitude. But Mr. Dowler, while Mrs. Clarke 
was in Gloucester-Place, used to call there, and frequently 
assist with his purse in eking out the Duke's scanty house- 
keeping. Mr. Dowler, too, bought a carriage of Colonel 
Shipley for Mrs. Clarke during that period, for which the 
Duke was to repay him, or remunerate him some other way. 
Mrs. Clarke further stated, that when Mr. Dowler called at 
her house, and was told any thing distressing by her house- 
keeper, he has given her money to pay for things; and 
which did not come to her knowledge, sometimes, for a week 
afterwards. 

The embarrassments attending Mrs. Clarke's household 
appear in a very striking point of view, in the course of her 
examinations. She told Lord Folkstone, she believed it 
was in 1803, when the Duke took her into his protection. 
She had known him, she said, before that period; but she 
had not had an establishment in Gloucester-Place but from 
J 804 to 1806. Before that commenced, she and the Duke, 
she said, were in Park-Lane, in a furnished house. Here it 
seemed, that Mrs. Clarke had horses and carriages previous 
to her connection with her royal protector; for being asked 
by Lord Folkstone, if she had an establishment of horses 
and carriages in Park- Lane, she answered, " only what be- 
longed to myself." When she was asked, who paid the ex- 
penses of the establishment in Gloucester- Place, she replied, 
she did : and that, with respect to the allowance she received 
from him for that purpose, he promised 10001. per annum, 
to be paid monthly : but sometimes he could not make the pay - 
nentsgood, which occasioned many distressing circumstances. 
However, they were pretty well paid, till within the last three 
months they were together : when Mrs. Clarke added, " though 
His Royal Highness was with me every day, he never gave 
me a guinea." Mrs. Clarke nevertheless allowed, that if 
any thing unpleasant had happened, which was always hap- 
pening, as suits, distresses, &c. His Highness would some- 
times contrive to gvt a little more, and bring to her. After 
all, though she several times stated to him, that the thousand 
a year he allowed her, was not sufficient to pay the servants' 
wages and their liveries, all the observations he made in re- 
ply, she said, were; " that if I was clever, I should never 
ask him for money." 

During the same examination, Mrs. Clarke received a letter, 
which caused her to shed tears ; and which, she informed the 
House, begged her not to go on, or to that effect. This let- 
ter was supposed to come from Colonel Mac Mahon ; as Mrs. 
Clarke immediately observed, she would wish the gentlemen 
toask Col. Mac Mahon if he itiortghf she toad made any ini- 



20 

proper propositions, or any thing unjust to the Duke of 
Vork. I wish them, said she, to ask only of Colonel Mao 
Mahon, what were my propositions to the Duke of York ; 
and to enquire into ail the particulars respecting the mesi 
sage, of which he was the bearer. This request afterwards 
produced the following interesting speech from the Colonel! 
who is a member of the British House of Commons. 

Colonel Mac Maiion then rose, and said: — 

<i To my extreme astonishment, I found my name alluded 
to by the lady who has just been examined at the bar ; 1 can- 
not tell for what possible purpose she has alluded to me; f 
have nothing to offer to this Committee, that has the least rei 
levance, or can throw the smallest light upon any subject 
whatever, that the honourable gentleman has brought before 
this House. In consequence of an anonymous note that was 
written to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, promis-i 
ing very important communications, I did, at the command 
of the Prince, lightly as he treated the note, nevertheless, 
call at No. 14, Bedford Row, Russel Square, where the note 
was dated from. Upon going there, the woman who open- 
ed the door, and from whom I thought I saw much that told 
me she had put that note into the penny rpost or the twopenny- 
post herself, I asked her the name of the lady of the house, 
that I wanted to see ; she desired me to tell my name ; I told 
her, I could give her no name, but produced the note, which 
she immediately remembered to have put into the twopenny- 
post, and said it was written by her mistress. I was then, 
conducted into the house, into a parlour, where certainly 
there were a great many of those morocco concerns which she 
has mentioned before, for there were ten chairs, 1 think, set 
round the table, from the supper or the dinner of the day be-i 
lore; after remaining some time, 1 was conducted up stairs, 
where 1 saw the lady, whose name I was told to be Farquhar. 
The lady, in perfect good -humour, came out and received 
me ; and I held the note I was possessed with as my creden- 
tials, for her communicating whatever she might think fit to 
tell a third person, not pressing her to any communication 
which she ought not to give me. She told me, that she 
would communicate nothing to a third person; 1 then told 
her, that, it was impossible that 1 could hold up any expec- 
tation of an interview with such a person as the one to whom 
that letter was addressed, unless she gave me some clue, or 
some plausible pretence for it, and that I had no idle curio-f 
sjty to gratify. She then entered into a conversation of sq 
general and so extraordinary a nature, thati am confident 



21 

this House would not, for one moment, entertain it, because 
the tendency and intention of it was to make bad blood be- 
tween two illustrious brothers, whose affections could never 
be shaken by any such representation ; at least, I am confi- 
dent that the illustrious person I have tlie pride and glory to 
serve and love, would be incapable. She then told me, she 
would shew me letters to prove and to establish, that there 
was a hatred on one part to the other ; I declined seeing any 
letters ; she then said, I would commit those letters to you, 
for the perusal of the illustrious personage; to which 1, as 
my bounden duty and firm conviction, said, if they were 
lying at his feet, he would scorn to look at one of them. Jri 
this interview, at first, I stated that I thoughUhewasa friend 
of Mrs. Clarke; she said, certainly she knew Mrs. Clarke 
extremely intimately, that there was nobody she loved and 
regarded as she did Mrs. Clarke ; that she perfectly knew 
her. She then asked me if I knew Mrs. Clarke ; 1 said, I do 
not. " Do you know her, sir, by person ?" T said, I be- 
lieved not. u Do you know her by character ?" yes, said I, 
her fame is very celebrated : and I have heard of Mrs. Clarke, 
but know nothing of her myself. She asked me then what I 
knew: I said, it certainly was not to her advantage; but I 
had heard the Duke of York had been very generous to her, 
and that she had not been very grateful on her part; but that 
was only from information I had received. She then pro- 
ceeded to slate, what 1 throw myself on the consideration of 
the House, as it might be the effect of passion, and appeared 
to me a disposition to gratify her revenge by representations 
that 1 do not think the House would for a moment permit me 
to expose, when it went to a tendency of making bad b'ood 
between two brothers. We then proceeded. I soon after 
said, " I am speaking to Mrs. Clarke herself; ' she laughed, 
and said, u I am Mrs, Clarke." 1 then begged her a thou- 
sand pardons for the portrait 1 had drawn, but disclaimed 
being the painter. " lam sure you are not; for it was 
Adam and Greenwood that gave you my character." We 
then proceeded, till she made a statement, that I have no he- 
sitation in declaring to this committee did, in its statement, 
appear such as I could with honour and character entertain 
and listen to ; that, under every compassionate feeling and 
sentiment, I felt no indisposition to listen to and entertain. 
She stated to me, that Mr. Adam had called upon her, and 
in a very firm, but steady manner, told her, that the Duke 
of York was determined to separate from her ; but that, if 
she retired into the country, and conducted herself with pro- 
priety and decorum, he would allow her 4001. a year : that 
she had accordingly so retired into Devonshire for several 



81 

months, but failing to receive the remittances she expected, 
she had been driven to town for the purpose of gaining her 
arrcar, and placing her annuity upon a move regular mode 
of payment; that if that condition was complied with, by 
the payment of her arrear, and of securing the punctuality 
of it to her in future, His Royal Highness should never hear 
any more about her. Upon the fairness of this statement, 
supposing it to be true (I do not pretend to say what my opi- 
nion of it was), I said, if your statement, Mrs. Clarke, is 
correct and orthodox, I will certainly wait upon Mr. Adam, 
and state it to him, to know where the objection lies to the 
payment of your annuity. That was in the month of July 
last. Mr. Adam had gone, two days after 1 saw Mrs. Clarke, 
into Scotland, and had not returned when I came back to 
London, in October, therefore I never saw him ; but at the 
persuasion of Mrs. Clarke, by a letter she wrote to me, she 
saying, that His Royal Highness was prepared to hear what 
I had to say, as she had told it to him, I had the honour 
of waiting upon the Duke of York, and telling his Royal 
Highness exactly what she had stated, not pretending to 
vouch for its veracity in any shape whatever, His Royal 
Highncss's immediate and prompt answer to me was, her con- 
duct is so abominable, that I will hear nothing at all about 
her. Any thing I could possibly offer after what J have now 
said would be superfluous; there is the conclusion, that is 
the epilogue of any thing I have to state, &c. &c. 

At length, viz. after a few examinations before the Com- 
mons, Mrs. Clarke's influence in the Church, as well as in the 
army, burst upon the public eye, with all its astonishing lus- 
tre. For being asked by Mr. Sheridan, if she never had any 
negociation or money transactions respecting promotions in 
the Church, she owned that, among others, a IJr. O'Mearn, 
a gentleman well known in Ireland, wanted to be made a Bi- 
shop by her means. The Rev. Mr. Glasse, and others, wanted 
Deaneries, &c, but Mrs. Clarke said, " the person who takes 
almost all the patronage of the church into her hands, is the 
first female personage in England." 

When Mrs. Clarke communicated Dr. O'Meara's letters 
to the Duke of York, the Commander-in-chief said, he want- 
ed to preach before Royalty. He was indulged with that 
privilege at Weymouth ; but, after all, the King did not 
like the great O in his name. 

It was in JS05, that the Doctor made this application, 
the very night that the Duke was going to Weymouth. The 
Doctor was a vigilant pastor ; for that night, Mrs. Clarke 
thinks, he welched his Highness out of her house, as he had 
seen that his horses were waiting in Portman -square, and 



23 

then be came in just as I was upon the stairs, and said, it 
was a very good opportunity, for he, likewise, was going to 
Weymouth : he asked me to come down stairs again, and 
write him a letter of recommendation to His Royal Highness, 
and 1 did so." 

When Miss Ann Taylor was called to the bar, to be exa- 
mined with the view of discrediting the testimony before 
given by Mr. Clarke, her evidence was such as will probably 
never be forgiven her by the enemies of truth. She was 
asked, if she had ever heard the Duke speak about Colonel 
French and his levy, when she answered, " Once only. The 
Duke's words were nearly as I can recollect, ' I am continu- 
ally worried by Colonel French : he worries me continually 
about the levy business, and is always wanting something 
more in his own favour :' turning to Mrs. Clarke, I think, he 
•said, 6 How does he behave to you, darling?' or some such 
kind words as he used to use ; and that was all that was said. 
To this Mrs. Clarke replied, fi Middling, not very well;' 
when the Duke rejoined, 8 Master French must mind what he 
is about, or I shall cut him up and his levy too.' 

Through Mr. Donovan's examination, it appeared that 
he had applied to Mrs. Clarke to get the Rev. Mr. Eazeiey 
made Dean of Salisbury or Hereford. This favour, how- 
ever, was to be purchased by a bribe of £000 guineas ; a 
sum which had been subscribed for this pious use by a, par- 
ty of ladies^ undoubtedly the admirers of the Rev. Mr. 
Bazeley. Mr. Donovan was also the agent for the Rev. 
J. H. Glasse, another holy aspirant after court favours. 
This will appear more explicitly from the two following 
letters, which Mrs. Clarke sent to Mr. Donovan, after Mr. 
Wardle's investigation of the Duke's conduct had com- 
menced. — 

" Dear Sir, 

" I am much mortified in seeing, in this day's 
paper, the free use of your name and mine in the debate 
last night. 1, however, took an opportunity of seeing Mr. 
Wardle on the subject, and I find he is by no means so ill- 
disposed as his speech seems to evince ; but he tells me, 
that, as I have committed myself and my papers, he is de- 
termined to make every possible use of them, that to him 
seems proper. I must be candid and tell yon, that, in order 
to facilitate some negociations, I had given him a few of 
your letters. In one you speak of the Queen, in another 
of the two Deaneries. As to myself, I must of course speak 
the truth, as I shall be put on oath. Let me persuade you, 
if called on, to keep to the truth, as I am convinced you 



2.1 

will ; but I mean the whole truth) as to what lias passed 
formerly between jronrserfand me. I have thousand thanks 
For your being so qilict upon the ISO: you shall liave it the 
moment my mother conies from Rath. I fear*, if you arc 
backward, Wardle'wm eipose the whole of (lie letters he 
has to the Bouse* 

Yours, truly. 
" Saturday evening. M. A. Clarke. 

" In order to relieve your mind, I send my servant, though 

late." 

u Indorsed : 
" Reed. g8tli Jan. ISOOj 

late at night*** 

ei Wednesday morning 
"Dear Sir, Feb. 1st, 1809. 

" I yesterday saw Mr. Wardle ; he had a 
letter yesterday from your friend Glasse, begging him not 
to take any business in hand, where his name is mentioned; 
and he asks for you also* lie was tutor to Wardle* Now 
Mr. Wardle assures me, by every thing honourable, that if 
you speak candidly and fairly to the fact of Tonyns, he 
will ask nothing more; and if he has been at all intemperate 
with your name, he will do it every justice. Take my aiU 
rice, -and doit; it cannot injure you. I understand your 
friend Tuck, some months ago, put a friend of his in pos- 
sesion of Tonyn's business; and yesterday a man of the 
name of Finnerty gave him a case, which, he says, he had 
from you, of a Captain Trotter and another. Of course 
you will not mention my telling you this. I wish from my 
soul Mr* Wardle had taken it up less dispassionately; lie 
might have done more good. Why do you not send me 
aline? I dare say Claverim* is hugginjr himself as he did 
not send the recommendation. 

•< Your's, &c. 

" M* A. C." 

A little more of the shameful traffic in places, which 
ought to have been bestowed upon merit and capacity alone ; 
appears from the following letters from Mr. Donovan to 
Mrs. Clarke: — 

" Charles-street, St. James's-square* 
October 8th, 1808. 
" Dear Madam, 

" The Deanery of Hereford is vacant, and in 
the sole gift of the Duke of Portland ; can you procure it 



25 

for the Rev. G. H. Glasse? T would myself, unknown to 
him, give 10001. for it. It must be filled by next Satur- 
day at least, so a gentleman, who has just given me the 
information, said. Mr. G. is my most particular friend, 
and I would make great sacrifices to serve him: lie is not in 
town at present. 1 can with confidence assure you he is a 
very good scholar $ a man of good fortune, and an extraor- 
dinary kind friend, of excellent connections, well known to 
the Dukes of Cumberland and Cambridge'. He is rector of 
Hanwell, Middlesex. His town house, No. 10, Sackville- 
street. 

" The money will be deposited on Wednesday next, for 
the Landing- Waiter's place. 

An Inspector of the Customs, whose duty is rowing in 
a boat about the river, visiting and placing officers on board 
different ships, is about to be superannuated ; the salary is 
4001. per annum; I am applied to for the appointment, 
on the resignation taking place: 10001. is offered for it. 

u Your's, very truly, 

" J. Donovan." 
i: Mrs. Clarke." 

" Charles-street, St. James's-square^ 
October 20th, 180S. 

" Dear Madam, 

■*' Some friends of the Rev. T. Bazeley, M. A. 
are extremely desirous of procuring for him promotion in the 
church: and it appears to them a very favourable opportu- 
nity, the vacancy of the Deanery of Salisbury, to make appli- 
cation to the Duke of Portland, and, in order to secure an in- 
terest without his knowledge, a party of ladies, at the head 
of whom is Lady Cardigan, have subscribed a sum of mo- 
ney, 3000 guineas, which is ready to be deposited, to carry 
into execution their intended plan. 

" Mr. Bazeley is well known to his Grace, and was parti- 
cularly recommended to Her Majesty by Lady Cardigan, on 
the publication of his pamphlet, c The Claims of the Roman 
Catholics constitutionally considered,' &c. &c. This chap- 
lain to the Duke of Gloucester, and the Bishop of Lincoln, 
went with his Grace, upon some occasion to serve the Mar- 
quis of Titch field ; would be very strongly recommended by 
many persons of fashion, the Bishops of Norwich and Sa- 
lisbury. I have a Letter from each to Mr. Bazeley in my 
possession, which would shew the estimation in which he 
is held by them. The Ladies are very anxious, and at the 
same time desirous, that he should not know through what 
channel the money is raised, much less the application, nor 



26 

do they wish to know any thing further than that he shall 
succeed, and then to agreeably surprise him ; or rather that 
his Grace, without any preface, shall have the whole merit 
of having selected so worthy a man to fill the vacancy r 
Your answer will oblige your's, very truly, 

" J. Donovan.'* 
u Lord M. and Mrs. Jn. are in Town." 

" Charles-street, St. James's-square, 
Nov. 16th, 1808. 
" Dear Madam, 

" The place of Inspector of the Customs is 
row vacant by the Death of Mr. Booty, and I learn that the 
Queen and the Duke of Dorset are about to apply for it. I 
hope you will procure it for Mr. Henry Tpbiu, the gentle- 
man you were so good to say you would serve when an oppor- 
tunity offered. 1 will do myself the pleasure of waiting on 
you whenever you will appoint on the subject. Can you 
procure the Pay mastership to a second battalion for 5001. ? 

Your's, very truly, 
" Mrs. Clarke/' J. Donovan.' 7 

How these servile beings sometimes felt on these occasions, 
will appear from this copy of Mr. Bazeley's own letter to 
the Duke of Portland : — 

" Norfolk street, Grosvenor-square. 
« My Lord Duke, 

" I wished particularly to see your Grace up- 
on the most private business. I cannot be fully open by 
letter. The object is, to solicit your Grace's recommenda- 
tion to the Deanery of Salisbury, or some other Deanery, 
for which the most ample pecuniary remuneration I will in- 
stantly give a draft to your Grace. 

" For Salisbury, three thousmd pounds. 1 hope your 

Grace will pardon this, and instantly commit these lines to 
the flames. 1 am now writing, for the benefit of Adminis- 
tration, a most interesting Pamphlet. Excuse this openness; 
and 1 remain your Grace's 

Most obedient and obliged servant, 

T. Bazeley." 

" P.S. I will attend your Grace whenever you may ap« 
point, but sincerely beg your Grace's secrecy." 

Indorsed : 
" Delivered by the writer himself to my 
servant, on Tuesday, 3d Jan. 1809, 
at Bn House, P." 



27 

It is but just to acknowledge, that either the matter or the 
fnanntr of this epistle gave such umbrage to the Duke of 
Portland, that he ordered his doors to be in future shut 
against this person ; he also informed the Bishop of London 
of his conduct, who wrote him the following answer : 

" Fulham-house, Jan. 5, 1809. 
"My Lord, 

u Jt is impossible for me to express the asto- 
nishment and indignation which were excited in my mind 
by the perusal of the Letter which your Grace has done me 
the honour of inclosing s- a mark of your attention for which 
I must beg you to accept ray best thanks. 

" It is too true that this wretched creature Bazeley has 
one 9 if not two, chapels in toy diocese. I have long known 
him. to be a very weak man, but till this insufferable in- 
sult upon your Grace, I did not know he was so completely- 
wicked j and so totally void of all principle: And as your 
Grace is in possession of the most incontestible proofs of his 
guilt, you will, 1 trust, inflict upon him the disgrace and 
punishment he so richly deserves. 

I have the honour to be, 

With the highest respect^ 
My Lord, 
Your Grace's most humble and obedient servant, 

B. London." 
Fulham-house, 5th Jan. 1809," 

*' Indorsed i 
" The Bishop of London." 

It was in the course of February last that Mrs. Clarke ac- 
knowledged she had sent an anonymous letter to the Prince of 
Wales, after she parted with the Duke. The colonel had 
before told his story of that transaction; but this is Mrs. 
Clarke's version. 

Col. M'Mahon, she said, called upon her, inconsequence 
of her note to the Prince; and, when the servant opened the 
door, he asked* who kept the house; Mrs. Farquhar, that was 
my mother, answered him. When he came up-stairs, into 
the drawing-room, he said, Mrs. Farquhar, bow do you do; 
what is the business ; I told him, that I wished to see the 
Prince of Wales ; and, after a few minutes conversation, 
Colonel M'.VJahon found that I was Mrs. Clarke; he then 
promised to communicate the message to the Prince, and the 
next day brought me a very civil message from His Royal 
Highness, stating, that he was extremely sorry he was 



<28 



(1 to go out of town to Brighton, which he did do thai 
morning-; < hat it v as impossible for him to interfere; that 
he had a very great respect for me; was sorry for the man- 
ner in which I had been treated; and that Colonel M' Ma- 
lion might use his iniiuenee with the Duke of York, to be 
the bearer of any message that might be the means of mak- 
ing peace; but that it was a very delicate matter for His 
Royal Highness to interfere with his brother. Several notes 
passed betsveen Colonel IVI'Mahon and me, and several inter- 
views. He mentioned to me, that he had seen His Royal 
Highness the Duke of York at one time, I think in July ; that 
the Duke of York asked him, if 1 was not very much exas- 
perated against hirn, and if 1 did not use very strong lan- 
guage, and abuse him. Colonel M'Mahon said, quite the 
contrary, sir, 1 assure you; Mrs. Clarke is very mild to- 
wards you, and she lays the whole of the blame on Mr. 
Adam ; he said, she is very right, 1 will see into her affairs. 
That was the end of the first message. I think the last 
message that Colonel M'Mahon brought me was, that he 
could not bring His Royal Highness to any terms at all, to 
any sort of meaning, concerning the debts; and, although! 
had behaved so very handsome towards His Royal Highness, 
aud had exacted nothing but his own promises to be put in 
execution, or even to take the sum that was due to me upon 
the annuity aud pay the tradesmen, and then I would let 
His Royal Highness oif of the debts, as that perhaps would 
satisfy them; that he considered it as very fair, and very 
honourable, aud very liberal, or he would not have been 
the bearer of those messages ; and he said he esteemed me 
very much from the character I bore among my female ac- 
quaintances that he was intimate with; I mean women of 
character; and for the services 1 had done to many poor 
young men within his knowledge, &c. 

It was soon after this that Mrs. Clarke's capability and 
address was attested from another quarter. It would be im- 
possible to go into all her correspondence with real officers, 
and would-be officers, for the army. Mr. Maltby's com- 
munication to her, respecting a Mr. Maimers, is extremely 
singular, and perhaps equally appropriate. He tells her, 
u . She Zi+ould be quite a treasure in every way to any Secre- 
tary of Stale" 

The production of two of Colonel M'Mahon's letters to 
Mrs. Clarke followed next ; but there is nothing remarkable 
excepting the conclusion of the last, in which he says, u A 
thousand thanks for the loan of your seal, from which I 
teive had an impression taken in remembrance of your 



29 

sprightly device." This device is — " For further parti- 
culars enquire within" 

Other accounts say, this device was a worn-out jack-ass , 
mounted by a Cupid, goading the sides of the animal with 
his arrow, and the following motto, Tels sont mes sujets — 
" Such are my subjects." 

It was the parliamentary proceedings of Monday, Febru- 
ary 13, which first produced the Duke of York to the world 
in his new character, as a writer! Those persons, who re- 
collect the amorous epistles of another noble Duke to Lady 
Grosvenor, where '* kissing her dear little hair," and the 
" Bible Oath," are mentioned, will certainly give the prefer- 
ence to the Duke of York without any hesitation. We will, 
also, vouch for the following, as the most correct copies 
which have yet appeared. 

(DUKE OF YORK'S LETTERS.) 

" August 4, 1805. 

u How can I sufficiently express to my sweet- 
est, my darling love, the delight which her dear, her pretty 
letter gave me, or how much I feel all the kind tilings she 
says to me in it ? Millions and millions of thanks for it, my 
angel! and be assured, that my heart is fully sensible of 
your affection, and that upon it alone its whole happiness 
depends. 

" I am, however, quite hurt that my love did not go to the 
Lewes races; how kind of her to think of me upon the oc- 
casion ; but I trust that she knows me too well not to be 
convinced, that I cannot bear the idea of adding to those 
sacrifices, which I am but too sensible that she has made to 
me. 

w News, my angel cannot expect from me from hence; 
though the life led here, at least in the family I am in, is 
Very hurrying : there is a sameness in it which affords little 
subject for a letter; except Lord Chesterfield's family, there 
is not a person except ouserselves that I know. Last night 
we were at the play, which went off better than the first 
night. 

" Dr. O'Meara called upon me yesterday morning, and 
delivered me your letter ; he wishes much to preach before 
royalty , and, if I can put him in the way of it, I will. 

i What a time it appears to me already, my darling, since 
we parted, how impatiently I look forward to next Wedues* 
day se'miight! 



30 

M God bless you, my own dear, drar love! I shall miss 
the post if I add more; oh, believe me ererj to my last, 
hour, youVs and your's alone. 

Addressed : 
" Mrs. Clarke, 
to be left at the Post-office, 
Worthing." 

Indorsed : 
« Dr.O'Meara." 



" Sandgate, August 24, 1804. 
" How can I sufficiently express to my darling 
love my thanks for her dear, dear letter; or the delight 
which the assurances of her love give me? Ohj my angel ! 
do me justice, and be convinced, that there never was a 
Woman adored as yon are. Every day, every hour, con- 
vinces me more and more, that my whole happiness depends 
upon you alone What a time it appears to be since we 
parted, and with what impatience do I look forward to the 
day after to-morrow; here are stilly however, two whole 
nights before I shall clasp my darling in. my arms! 

" Flow happy am I to learn that you are better; I still, 
however, will not give up my hopes of the cause of your 
feeling uncomfortable. Glavering is mistaken, my angel^ 
in thinking that any new regiments are to be raised ; it is not 
'intended ; only second battalions to the existing corps; you 
had better, therefore, tell him so, and that you were sure 
there would be no use in applying for him. 

" Ten thousand thanks, my love, for the handkerchiefs, 
which are delightful; and I need not, I trust, assure you of 
fhe pleasure I feel in wearing them, and thinking of the dear 
hands who made them for me. 

" Nothing could be more satisfactory than the tour I 
have made, and the state in which I have found every- 
thing. The whole of the day before yesterday was em* 
ployed in visiting the works of Dover: reviewing the troops 
there, and examining the coast as far as this place. From 
Folkstone I had a very good view of those of the French 
camp. 

" Yesterday I first reviewed the camp here, and after- 
wards the 14th Light Dragoons, who are certainly in very- 
fine order: and from thence proceeded to Brabourn Lees, to 
see four regiments of militia ; which, altogether, took me 



31 

up near thirteen hours. I am now setting off immediately 
to ride along the coast to Hastings, reviewing the different 
corps as I pass, which will take me at least as long Adieu, 
therefore, my sweetest, dearest, love, till the day after to-mor- 
row, and be assured, that to my last hour I shall ever remain 
your's, and your's atone. 

Addressed 
*' George Farquhar, Esq. 
No. J 8, Gloucester-place, 
Portman-square. " 

FOLKSTONE. 

79, 



Indorsed : 
" G\, Clavering, &c." 

The reading of the two last letters was interrupted by fre- 
quent bursts of laughter, and repeated calls to order from 
the Chair. 

The next grotesque figure, which appears in this singular 
history, is that of Mrs. Clarke's footman, Samuel Carter, 
being transformed into a colonel of a regiment, which is now 
serving in the West Indies. Then, speaking of the strange 
military promotions-, she said, u The Dnke was privy to 
the whole." — But Mr. Wardle, she said, had promised not 
to say any thing about Samuel Carter 

Poor Carter's situation, when he thus first became an offi* 
cer, was worse than that of Sancha Panza, when he was 
made governor of Barataria. He was some time at Spithead 
without money and many other necessaries. One of these 
letters, which may resembie those of the Knight of tjie rutfut 
countenance, runs thus : 

" Clarendon Transport, 
« Spithead, Jan. 4, IS05 " 
" Hon. Madam, 

-' Impelled by my dreadful situation, and 
my perfect knowledge of your goodness, I trust you will 
pardon the liberty of addressing you again. 

" Since my last, the embarkation has taken place, and 
I am now on board iii a situation not to be described. You 
can form a better idea of it than in my power to express. 
J have no stock for the voyage, neither have I any money 
jto purchase those little things which are absolutely neces- 



32 

sary. I have to keep watch four hours every night, and 
have nothing to eat but salt meat three times a week, and 
water to drink, the rum being so bad, 'tis impossible to 
drink it. 

" Your goodness to me has ever been such as leaves not 
the smallest doubt that you will not suffer me to starve in 
the situation you have been pleased to place me, and which 
is such as will ever tend to make me the most grateful and 
happy of beings. 

" Should, Madam, you be induced to take into consi- 
deration my wretched case, and by a little pecuniary aid 
save from every thing that is horrible, it will be an act wor- 
thy of yourself, and that imprint upon my heart which 
will never be erased. 

I am, Madam, 

Your grateful servant, 

Samuel Carter.'* 

" Be so kind as to direct the letters to be 
left at the Post-office, Portsmouth." 

" P. S. We shall lay at Spithead this fortnight.— Hav- 
ing received orders to sail to Cork this morning, I have 
opened the letter, in order to pray you would direct to Cork, 
but we only stay there 24 hours, as the convoy is ap- 
pointed." 

" Mrs Clarke, 

18, Gloucester-place, 

Portman-square, 
I London." 

Mr. Leach then observed, that the letters said to be 
written by Baroness Nollekenwere not particularly appli- 
cable to any charge before the House, referring to the inter- 
ference of his Royal Highness, not as to military appoint- 
ments, but in matters merely civil ; and he should, there- 
fore, take the liberty of submitting to the House, whether 
these letters should then be read, as the present investigation 
only related to military appointments ? 

Mr. W hi thread proposed, that they should proceed to 
hear those next in order, as the hand-writing had been iden- 
tified. 

[The letters from General Clavering to Mrs. Clarke were 
then read :] 

They ran upon the usual strain of agency, influence, &c 
and in one of them he wishes to know if Mrs. Clarke u could 
receive him hi boot*/'' 



33 

[The two following letters from Baroness Nolleken to 
Mrs. Clarke, are morsels too precious to be omitted.] 

" Gloucester-place, Sept. 22* 
iC My dear Madam, 

" I am this moment favoured with your very 
kind letter; this fresh mark of your friendship gives me 
great pleasure. 1 hope the change of air has perfectly re- 
stored your health, and that I shall have the satisfaction of 
seeing you return to town in as good looks as ever. My dear 
Baron, with his best respects to you, begs you will have the 
goodness to assure H. R, H. of the deep sense of gratitude 
he feels for the Duke's gracious remembrance of him, and 
thinks with you that His M. would be more liberal to him 

than to Mr. if he dare presume to judge from his M tys 

goodness to him for these forty years past, on every occa- 
sion. I hope the weather has been as fine at Margate as in 
London; it has, thank God, quite restored my health. I 
flatter myself you will favour me with a visit on Wednes- 
day, any time most agreeable to you to name ; for, be as- 
sured, I enjoy very sincerely the pleasure of your society, 
exclusive of the gratitude I shall ever feel for the kind in- 
terest you take for me. and mine. Adieu, my dear Madam. 

Believe me your's, 

most truly, 

M. Nolleken." 
" Mrs. Clarke, 
Royal Hotel 5 
Margate, 
Kent." - 



" Dear Madam, 

" I see by the papers, that the D. was with, 
the King yesterday morning, and that Mr. Pitt had a pri- 
vate audience of His Majesty; I therefore indulge a hope, 
that my request may have been thought of; do then, my 
dear madam, inform me in what slate of forwardness it now 
stands, when and by whom my letter was given, and how 
received. Pardon my giving you the trouble of answering 
me all these questions, but the very kind part you have taken 
in this business, assures me you will pardon me, and think 
it but natural I should feel anxious in a matter of so much 
consequence to me and mine. A thousand thanks for the 



< ! 1 

carp you were so good as to send me yesterday, and with my 
kindest wishes, be assured, 

My dear Madam, 

I remain most sincerely, 
Your most obliged, 

M. NoLLEKEN." 

" Thursday, five o'clock." 

'"Mrs. Clarke, 
IS." 

The economy of the Duke's allowance forms a curious 
feature, as it appears from Mr. Croker's examination of Mrs. 
Clarke at the Utit of the House. Once or twice, she said, 
His Royal Highness gave her small bills for 4 or 5001. ; 
but it was to grit her necklace, or something in that way, 
from Parker's, the pawnbroker, in Fleet Street. Mr. Parker, 
she said, would not take His Royal Highness's bill, without 
her signing something else private. She therefore denied 
■sending any bill drawn upon herself or the Duke of York 
to Birkett's, the silversmith. Instead of his Highness pay- 
ing her to the amount of 25,0001. in three years; she said, 
that very frequently he did not make good his monthly pay- 
ments; and for the three mouths before he left her, she 
never had a guinea from him. Though Mr. Adam, she 
said, had asserted that the Duke left her on account of a 
bill, the latter had never the generosity to give her the mo- 
ney for that bill; it was only 1301. She never had a gui- 
nea value for it : she gave it to Mr. Corri, to save him from 
going to prison. Before she left her house, she believed 
the Duke had not paid the last half-year's rent, nor the 
taxes for a twelvemonth. Of Mrs Clarke's liberal dispo- 
sition, and even generosity, in paying the- tradesmen and 
servants, many persons can give the most unquestionable 
testimony, and those to whom any thing may still remain 
due, entertain no doubt of being paid, whenever she is en- 
abled. 

With respect to horses, another branch of the establish- 
ment; for the first six mouths she was with the Duke, she 
had job-horses; the others she always purchased herself. 
She lost about 9001. in one year by the purchase of horses. 
She also built a two stalled stable at Weybridge, which 
cost her between 2 and 300 pounds. There was forty or 
fifty pounds for oil-cloth, she said, to screen His Royal 
Highness; to screen his visits from the neighbours, when 
lie was going backward and forwards. 



35 

To the question, whether her diamonds were ever in. 
pawn, she answered, very frequently ; the Duke knew it ; ' 
and once, when Mr Dowler paid her 8001. she took them 
out. 

Respecting what Mrs. Clarke had said, about the Duke's 
advancing money when unpleasant things happened ; she 
afterwards explained herself : she said, she never recollected 
his bringing her more than 2901. over her allowance. 

When she first went to Gloucester-place, his first present 
was 5001. and that went for linen and different things. 

The evidence given by Mrs. Martha Fa very, the house- 
keeper, is not less amusing : her own words were as follow, 
in answer to her examiner. 

Q. You have stated, that you were housekeeper to Mrs. 
Clarke, and superintended a very large establishment, and 
had two or three cooks at particular times ; what number in 
general did you superintend, and have to provide for ? 

A. I am sure I cannot say ; there were always very ele- 
gant dinners went up, and what they could not do, came 
from the pastry-cook's ; there were four men in the stable, 
a butler and two footmen, two cooks, a laundry-maid, a 
house maid, a kitchen-maid, and another little girl that 
worked at her needle, and myself, and a chair- woman to 
wash one day in the week. 

Q You have mentioned that there were very considerable 
embarrassments happened, and that you had been applied 
to for money, and have been supposed to keep it instead of 
paying the different creditors ; did you tell her of those dis- 
tresses, and apply to her for money ; and, if so, what answer 
did you get : 

A. I did inform her; she said that his Royal Highness 
had been very backward in his payments to her, and I must 
put the people off, and accordingly I did as she said, 

Q. Did Mrs. Clarke ever mention to you that his Royal 
Highness said that he would give, or had given, her sums of 
money to pay those debts : 
A. No ; I never heard that. 

Upon the score of economy, it was further stated, that 
though there were sometimes two, and sometimes three, men- 
cooks, for particular dinners, they were not dressed for a 
targe company, but merely for two or three persons ; — His 
Royal Highness, &c 

Mrs. Clarke was charged with giving a note to Captain 
Sandon, appearing to be a note to the Duke of York ; but 
she replied, she would not have sent him v>ith any note, 
being afraid of trusting him : and seemed to think the Cap- 
tain capable of writing the note in question, himself! After 



36 

manifest prevarication, the House thought proper to commit 
the Captain to Newgate. 

The next business of some of the Minister's party was, to 
dispute Mrs. Clarke's veracity, for asserting that she had 
only 30001. allowed her in the space of three years. At 
length, it was agreed, that Mrs. Clarke should be called. 
Just at this time, Mr. Fuller called Mrs. Clarke a baggage ; 
but he was loudly called to order, and obliged to sit down. 

Mrs. Clarke was accordingly called in, and informed by 
the chairman, that when any letters were put into her hand 
to ascertain her own hand-writing, she was not to read the 
contents of those letters. A large packet of letters, of which 
the following are copies, was put into her hand, and being 
asked, if they were her handwriting, after examining them, 
she identified all the letters, numbered I to 41. No. 42, she 
said, was a piece of the Duke of York's letter which had 
come from Dover, with his seal upon it ; it is directed 
" George Farquhar," and has the same sort of seal as the 
note that Captain Sandon had, as before described. 

1. 

" 11, Holies-street, Cavendish -square, July 2, 1808. 

" Sir, 

" Perhaps you may have forgotten there was such 
a person in existence as the writer ; I have been in the country 
for a year and a half, and I am but just returned from it, to 
remain in town ; and 1 should feel myself particularly obliged 
if you will favour me with your friend Colonel French's a&i 
dress, or his agent in the Inn in Holborn, which has slipped 
my memory. Pray forgive the trouble, and believe me 
Your most Obedt. 

Maiiy Anne Clarke" 

" Capt. Sandon, Royal 
Waggon Drivers, Col* 
^ Chester, Essex." 



" 14, Bedford-place, Russel-square, July 23. 
" Dear Sir, 

" On Saturday. I was favoured with your an- 
swer, but as I have removed from Holies-street to this place, 
to save you the trouble of calling there, these lines are ad- 
dressed you. I am now with my Mother, and, I fear, for 



37 

the whole of the summer. I did not want any thing of French, 
but to ask a question. I am, Dear Sir, 

Your obliged, &c. &c. 

Mary Anne Clarke." 
66 Captain Sandon, Royal 
Waggon Train, Beccles. 
Suffolk/' 

3. 

" Mrs. Clarke will be glad of a call from Capt. Sandon, 
if he is returned to town, to-day or to-morrow. 

" Gloucester-place, Friday. 

" Colonel Sandon, Bridge- 
street, Westminster." 



" I am thoroughly convinced of the money 
being tcv trifling, and I have mentioned it to a person who 
knows the full value of those things, so you may tell Bacon 
and Spedding they must give each of them more two hun- 
dred, and the captains must give me fifty each more. I am 
now offered eleven hundred for an older officer. 

M. A. C. 

" I must have an answer this evening to this, as I am to 
speak with him on it. I have mentioned as your being con- 
cerned for me. I go to the Little Theatre this evening. 

u Colonel Sandon." 

5. 

" Will you, my good sir, drop me a line Monday 
morning, saying if you have been able to influence any per- 
son who is with Pitt, to attend the House on Monday to 
give his Vote. 

''' I have this morning received the inclosed from Corri, 
and where he marks under he alludes to your business, and 
as I know he is a story-teller, I send you his Letter. 



•&.fi 


I am, Sir, &c. 


i 3* 


M. A. Clahke." 


iJ 


" Col v Sandon, 


5jl 


No. 15, Bridge-street, 


II 


Westminster Bridge." 



.38 

6. 

« Dear Sir, 

" He will do it so let the Proposals he 

sent in by when he gets to town, which will be as soon as 
you get this, for one thousand at first. — The Duke of Cam- 
bridge has already four thousand. You have not any occa- 
sion to be very particular as to their being Protestants, for 
I don't think it of any consequence to him ! ! ! I think you 
Lad better attend him on Tuesday, 1c ask his opinion of the 
papers sent in on Saturday, as I lold him I had seen the 
Proposals, which you intended to alter and leave that even- 
ing. Pray, when you go, put on a nice pair of boots, 

and let it be about half-past three. 

Adieu — burn this." 

" Mrs. Clarke's letter, 
relative to German levy." 



" Can you give me a call to-day about one or two, 
or about five ? 1 wish to see you much. Tell Spedding to 
write in for what he wants, as the D. says that is much the 
best. Can you get half a dozen or so that wants interest ? I 
want money, which is more imperious : this is what I want 
to see you upon, so you had better see Gilpin first. 
What is become of Bacon ? 



?>. 



c Colonel Sandon." 



^ 8. 

" Dear Sir, 

tfc Pray do something for me soon as possible ; 
the Duke told me this morning you must go on faster with 
your men ; he has written to town for that purpose. You 
had better send me the exact number of all you have sent, 
and I will shew it him. 



> E 

2 I > " Colonel Sandon." 



5 «B 



£^i 



39 
9- 

" I send this by a servant to Hampton, 
hoping you will get it sooner. 

fik Dear Sir, Thursday Morning. 

" The Duke has neither seen Gen. Tonyn nor 
his son : his son he does not know, and it is six months since 
he saw the gen'l: he has ordered him to be gazetted, and is 
fearful it will be done ere he can stop it : he will be at the 
office to-morrow, and, if not too late, will stop it: he as- 
sured me it was entirely owing to me that he thought to do 

Aslett and Bligh 
the best by putting him where two other Majors have left a 
and he would of course be two steps higher. 

" J hope to see you to-morrow, when you will be able to give 
me the answer from Tonyn ; shall be in town about five. 

a The King and all the family are coming to visit the Duke, 
being his birth-day ! ! ! Full of compliment you see. 



12 o'Clock « Colonel Sandon, . 

Au. 17 No. 15, Bridge Street, § H J 

| 1804 Nn Westminster Bridge, ^oj 

"^ London." H £ 

10 

" Mrs. Clarke's compliments await Col. San- 
don, thinks it best for him not to come to her Box this even- 
ing, as Greenwood goes with both the Dukes this evening, 
and of course will watch where y r eyes direct now and then ; 

and should he see and know Col. S. , may make some 

remark, by saying or talking of the Lev?/ business, and it 
may be hurtful to his and Mrs. C's future interest. 



C ^ 

CO ^ 



" Col. Sandon, 
|j No. 8, Lyon's Inn." 



-3 



62 



11 

Dear Sir, 

" Capt'n Tonyn cannot be made this month 
as I expected ; the D. tells me it will be at least three weeks, 
he having so much to do in reviewing ; and there are some 
other promotions now to take place — however, the thing k 
done. 



40 

" The little boy will be attended to. On Monday I shall gd 
to Vauxhall with a party, when perhaps 1 shall have the 
pleasure of seeing yon; it is the only night this summer I 
shall nave the opportunity, as on that night lie is obliged to 
attend the House of Lords, as they expect a great tight on 

Pitt's motion. 1 shall at some time take an opportunity 

of mentioning your majority. I asked him what he thought 

of you? Ad clever fellow. You are to have the 

bounty that Pitt is to give to the line^ so that every thing 
goes on well, — I told him I should see you at Vauxhall on 

Monday. 1 am now at the end of my paper, so shall say 

adieu. 

M.A.C, 
u He says Gen. Tonyn is a stupid old fellow. 



1 <u 



it 



Colonel Sandon ? 



a I -S 1 No. 15, Bridge Street, 

cf'l Westminster Bridge.' 1 



■&" 



12. 

" Wey bridge, Friday Noott. 
bum this. 
« Dear Sir, 

u I have mentioned the majority to the D , 

he is very agreeable to it — it is the nephew of the Gen'l; his. 
son purchased a company last week — Do you think it at all 
possible to oblige me on Monday with one hundred. I shall 
be in town Sunday. If 1 had had the pleasure of seeing you at 

the races, I intended to have pointed you out to the 1) • 

If you are in town, will you have the goodness to send a line 
in answer. It will much oblige your most 

Obedt. M. A. C. 

4 ESHER $ 

" Colonel Sandon, 16 .tfc 

C No 15, Bridge Street, gf 

JUN. 9 Westminster Bridge, g«}g 

1804. London." £' 

13. 

" Thursday. 

" I'll tell you, Col. French, you can materially 
serve me, by giving me a Bill for two hundred, for two 
months or ten weeks. 



41 

" I shall at all times be happy to serve you in any way. I 
like Captn Sandon extremely. I suppose he is the managing- 
person ! 

M.A.C." 
" Drop me a line in wweiv' 

First Letter from 'Mrs. Clarke, 

Us 

u Mrs. Clarke's compliments attend on Colonel 
Sandon, v. ill be glad to see him to-morrow from eleven till one. 

" Thursday, Feb. 2S." 

<c Colonel Sandon, No. 8, LvonVInn, 
WyGjh-street.;' 

15. 
" My dear Sir, 

" I am vexed to death, you well know the 
state of my finances, and I hit upon Spending for Tuesday, 
when, beli old the Regt. he is in did their exercise so bad, 
that the Duke swore, at (hem very much, and has stopped 
(lie promotion of every one in it ! He said so much to the 
Col. "Wemyss { I" think) that if he had been a gentleman he 
would have given up— but he intends looking over the Me- 
morial to-day, as S. has not been long in that Reg. and he 
is an old officer. So that you see if he gets his promotion, 
how very much he ought to be indebted to my good offices. 
I must beg hard for him : the Duke is very angry with you, 
for when he last saw you, you promised him 300 Foreigners, 
and you have not produced one — O, yes, master Sandon 
is a pretty fellow to depend on. I wish I had hit upon Eu- 
stace first. I told you, 1 believe, that they must be done 
gradually, his clerks are so cunning. Get Spedding to write 
out a list of his services, and send it to me as a private thing 
to shew him, not addressed to any one, Adieu." 

' 16. 
" Dear Sir, 

" I asked this morning if he had himself read 
those papers I gave him of the CoFs. he saved that he had ; 
but that be still asked so much more than other men, that 
he could not think of closing with him : however, let him 
send again, as perhaps he forgets h is papers in his hurry, 
r -i especially as he had those at home. 

rWj 1 cannot do myself the pleasure of being 

G 



42 

17. 
" Dr Sir, 

" T shall esteem it a favour if you will make 
immediate enquiry about a. Lieutenancy (\ understand there 
are two to be disposed of in the I Jfh \ X Dragoons) as Charles 
Thompson is determined to quit his next week, and I wish 
for his own sake that he goes direct to the other, as the Duke 
might be displeased with any one being idle at this critical 
moment. If you are in the way I shall expect a line — just 
10 fray if you think it possible for him to purchase so soon. 
His R. II. goes out of town to Chelmsford Saturday, and 
returns to town to his office 3 o'clock Tuesday. 

M. A. C. 
" Colonel San don, No. Id, West- 
minster Bridge, Bridge Street, 
Westminster/' 

18. 
" Dr Sir, 

u Major Taylor has proposed to do something 
in the Irish Levies for his Lt. Colonelcy, but it will not be ef- 
fected : the friend of ours says he will let him purchase, 
alt ho' he is so young a major, but this you know is nothing 
to us; so do you see him, and if you enter upon the same 
trims as before, I think I shall be able to teize him out of 
it ; let me know the result of it as soon as possible 1 . 

6i Do yon think it at all possible for you and Frenea to let 
me draw a bill on you for 200t. I am so dreadfully distres- 
sed, I know not which way to turn myself, and before that 
"will be due you are aware of what is to be done for me in 
that negociation. Thank you tor the pig; it was the most 
delicate thing of the kind possible. Adieu. 

Dr Sir, I am, 

&c. &c. &c." 
" Wednesday, Jan. 30*." 

19. 
" Dr Sir, 

" As I leave town on Monday evening, and 
running short of cash, will yun be kind enough to send me 
by Monday the Hundred Pounds. 

M. A. C." 
'• Colonel Sandon." 

20. 
" Dr Sir, 

" Most unfortunately Lord Bridge; water has 
asked for the vacancy T ere indeed it was one, so that that is 
f , done but II. R. II will let 

1 orw J me know if he can at 4 o'ek. — lie does not go out of 



43 

town, as intended, to-morrow, on account of his Majesty's 
Laving been insulted yesterday,, and still fears it.— I have a 
bill due either Saturday or Monday, I know not wlifeh day ; 
can you get me the five hundred guineas — he has been 
signed, and will be in the Gazette to-morrow, you know who 
I mean. 

Instead of a 60 guinea harp, let it be 100, as I have told 
him you was going to present me one, therefore it must be 
very elegant. 

p. " Tell Zimmenees he shall have he 

I 0ln J wishes for 700 guineas, not he shall 

have it in a month. 

" Don't fail burning my scribble soon as read. 

" I do not go out of town to-morrow. 

u Colonel Sandon, No. 15, 
Bridge-street, Westminster, 
or Duke-street, Adelphi^ 
No. 9. Office." 

21. 
"DrSir, Thursday, 

" I am extremely sorry to inform you (for the 
poor boy's sake), but it is impossible to admit him, as he lias 
that misfortune you mentioned of being one-eyed. Do you 
think it possible to get me a Vote on Monday for Pitt's Mo- 
tion ? it will, if carried, be of some consequence to us here- 
after ; try all you can. 

, I remain, DrSir, 

Your's, &c. &c. 

Mo A. Clarke." 
u Colonel Sandon, Bridge- street, 
No. 15. Westminster- Bruise." 



" Send — — — " 



me an answer. 



22. * 

f What yqu ask will be at your service. \md 
the letter will be at your Otlice Monday morning." 
$f Colonel Sandon." 

23. 

" Mrs. Clarke will be glad to see Captain S.indon 
to-morrow, before twelve o'clock, if he is in town; if not, 
Monday at 5. — " 

-t h " Friday." 
P^zi " Colonel Sandon." 
;-:^ No. 15, Bridge- street, 

■3 Westminster-Bridge." 



44 

24-. 

" DrSir, 

iC There is not any such thing in contemplation 
as Iho written question. Will you again ask about an India 
Lieutenancy ? as the Duke assures me there are two for 
sale. In consequence of what I mentioned to him of Kenncr, 
he has made many enquiries, and finds him to be a black 
sheep ; he offered to bribe Col. Gordon a few days since ! 



M,A. C." 



iC Colonel Sandon." 



"DrSir, 

u 'Ere I leave town I scratch a few lines, beg- 
ging you to be on your guard in every point; but of my 
name he particular ; for the future never breathe it. — I am 
confident you have a number of enemies, for yesterday the 

was assaiied from seven or eight different persons with 

invectives against you — Me is a little angry at something, 
yet will not tell it me — I think this fellow Kenner tries his 
friends — they laid fine complaints against you — did you tell 
Zimmences that as soon as Tonyn was gazetted you would 
get him done, in the same way, and that I was the person? 
Let me see you on Tuesday. 

Adieu, I am interrupted. " 



26\ 
" My Dr Sir, 

" Be so good as to look at the Gazette to-mor« 
tow evng. as I rather expect some of the names to be in- 
serted. I have others, which I assure you upon my honor. 
The present for my trouble for the Majority is seven hundred 
guineas, so if you have any more this must be the same — I 
shall be in town Monday, if you will have any thing to 
communicate. I remain, 

Dr Sir, your's, &c. &c. 
« Friday Evng." M.A.C," 

t o'CIock, " Colonel Sandon, 

J* S P; \o. 8, LyonVlnn, Wych-strcct, 

1C04 - Vr - ^ Strand." * 



45 

27. 

"DrSir, . gth 

6i I made a mistake, it is the 22d Regiment 
Mr. Thompson is to purchase into, or the 8th. Shall I sec 
you today? 

M. A. C," 
c< What is Thompson to say to his Colonel ?V 

Ch Thom F son Uiiar " Colonel Sandon, 

1 3 15, Bridge Street, 

to 8 or 2 f 2d Westminster. 1 ' 

28. 

(i I gave the papers to His Royal Highness ; 
lie read them while with me; said he still thought men 
high ; but that an answer would be left at his office as the 
way of business. 

I told him, if any was appointed, to give the Col.* the 
preference. Burn this soon as read, — I do not comprehend 
exactly what you mean by five other things ; I don't think 
it possible, 

29. 
u Can you send me one hundred pounds to- 
day ?-*- and let me see you to-morrow morning. 

M. A. C." 

M Colonel Sandon." 

30. 
" Dear Sir, Friday. 

" Will you go to the Horse-Guards for me 
to-day, and leave a proper letter as coming from Charles 
Thompson, asking for leave of absence for a fortnight ; but 
if his services should be wanted he would join immediately; 
if you know any belonging to the Adjutants, you could get 
it by to-morrow. 

M.A.C," 
" Colonel Sandon." 

31. 

M I have a letter which says you are a money-lender, in 
colleague with a notorious man call'd Dell!! I wish to shew 
it you. 

" I hope you will attend the Duke to-day, as Clinton leaves 
him on Thursday ; and he has all the writings for you in 
hand : he will not leave his office till six. 



4<i 

F 1 I shall l>e glad of a hundred guineas if possible this week. 
Saturday week Tonyn will be gazetted. — How comes on 
French? Call to-morrow, if possible. 

u Colonel Sandon, 

J 5, Bridge Street, 
Westminster* 

32. 
tl As your servant has called, and fearing 
you may not have my letter — beg you to see the Duke to-day 
at all events, or else things will be longer about, as Col. 
.Gordon takes Clinton's place on Thursday. 7 ' 

33. 
" By sir, 

u Pray what can Spcddimj mean by asking 
on Thursday, through General Tonyn, for leave to go upon 
half-pay ? 'tis odd behaviour, and vou must think that some 
one thinks me used very ill ; of course, till this is fully ex- 
plained, I shall drop all thoughts of any thing else. 

I remain ? your's, 



M. A. C. 



Saturday. 

Colonel Sandon." 



34. 
"Sir 

" I am exactly treated as I have been led to believe, 
from more than one quarter, but will thank you to send me 
Colonel French's address to-day before the Post goes out — 
1 have nothing to do with your Agent, you know. 

1 remain, sir, 

Your most obedt 

M. A. C." 

35. 
" As Col. Sandon did not call according to 
promise, Mrs. C. hopes he will have the goodness to send 
hern Bill at two months, in the morning: surely all things 
will be r settled before that becomes due. Mrs. C. hopes pe 
will not disappoint! 

Monday. 

Colonel Sandon, 
Lyon's-Inn, 

Wych-strcet.'* 



* Sir, 

u You have disappointed me dreadfully, a 
bill of one hundred at three months is useless, it must fie for 
two hundred at three months, or one at six weeks or tv?o 

for one hundred 
months. I beg you to return it by the bearer, as I met?* 

tioned my situation to you. — Word it thus: 1 promise 

to pay to Six weeks or Two months after date, pay Mr. 
Thompson or Order, the sum of One Hundred Poutids for 
value received. 

" Prav let me have it this evening at all events. 

M. A. C." 

37. 
<: Mrs. Clarke's compliments attend Capfaui 
Sand On, will feel herself much obliged if he will do his bes£ 
for Thompson in the recruiting- business, as on his getting 
the men early will give him first rank* 

u Mrs. C. has not been able to get an answer from H.ILif, 
about Taylor. 
Dec. 26. 

Colonel San don, 
No. 8, Lyon's Inn, 
Wych Street." 

38. 
" M. C. must again intreat the assistance of 

Col. S. He well knows she has always done as he ha> 

wished her to do. 

Colonel Sandon, 
No. 8, Lyon's Inn, 
Wych Street." 

39. 

* u I am told an answer is left out for Coh 

French at the office, and that now he has dropped three gui- 
neas per man. 

" I am not aware of what the answer is intended to convey. 

k will. 
\torn] 

Mr. Corri." 

40. 
u I hope you Avill not disappoint me. as on 
you alone depends my hopes of taking up a Bill over du< . 
Colonel Sandon." 



48 

41. 

" % Westbourne Place, Sloane Square, 
December 2d. 
M Dr Sir, 

" Let me know where you are, and I have 
not the least doubt but I can serve you essentially, and re- 
main as ever your friend. 

Mary Anne Clarke." 
G 
Jan. SO 

1809. 

Captain Sandon, 
Waggon Train, 
Spain. 

By Mess. Greenwood & Co. 
Lyon's Inn, Strand, London. 

It is evident that Mrs. Clarke's wit is seen move in her re- 
partees than in her letters. 

The archness of Mrs. Clarke's replies may, perhaps, de- 
rive some illustration from the awkwardness of some of her 
opponents. We have already mentioned a Mr. Dowler, 
who appears to have been a friend to her before she was ac- 
quainted with the Duke of York — She, it seems, wasground- 
lessly accused of having gone by Mr. Dowler's name at 
Hampstead, during a part of the year 1808, and the end of 
the year 1807. 

The following dialogue between the pleasant Mrs, Clarke 
and the peevish Mr. Croker, may therefore afford a faint 
sketch of the bickerings that sometimes take place, even at 
the bar of that august assembly : 

Mr. Croher. — Q. You have stated, when you were last 
here, that you had seen Mr. Dowler but twice since his ar- 
rival in England; once on a Sunday, when he called rela- 
tive to the business now under inquiry, and once in the 
witness's room in this House ; do you abide by that asser- 
tion? 

A. I will not be caught in a story about that, and there- 
fore I shall say, I did see him once besides. 

Q. Do you mean to say that you were caught in a story, 
when you before represented that you had seen him but 
twice ? 

A. No ; it is now perhaps your wish to catch me in one. 

Q Did you not say that you had seen Mr. Dowler only 
twice? 

A. It is very likely I might have said so. 



49 

Q. Is that true or false ? 

A . It is true that I have seen him twice, and it is also true 
that I have seen him three times. 

Q. Where did you see Mr. Dowler the third time, which 
you now allude to ? 

A. In this House, 

Q, How often have you seen Mr. Dowler besides those 
three times, since his return from Portugal? 

A. Those three times ? Once since — yesterday. 

Q. That is the whole number of times that you hare seen 
Mr. Dowler since his arrival in England ? 

A. 1 believe that the honourable gentleman can tell pretty 
well; for his garret-window is very convenient for his prjf 
ikg disposition, as it overlooks my house. 

Q That is the whole number of times that you have seen 
Mr. Dowler since his arrival in England ? 

A. Ves, 

Q. You are sure of that ? 

A, Yes,. 

Q. You arc not now afraid of being caught in a story ; 
you answer with perfect recollection ? 

A. U the honourable gentleman wishes it, I will say I 
have seen him oftcner, it it will at all tend to any thing; I 
ido not wish to conceal that Mr. Dowler is a very particular 
friend of mine. 

[The Chairman informed the witness, that she did not 
stand there to make observations on the gentlemen who ex- 
amined her, but to give correct and proper answers to the 
questions put to her. J 

A. 1 have, as well as I can recollect. 

Q. At what other places than those you have already 
mentioned, and at what other times, have you seen Mr. 
Dowler since his arrival in England ? 

A. I have seen him at his own hotel. 

Q. When? 

A. The first night he came home, I believe; but which 
was to have been a perfect secret, as I did not wish my own 
family, or any one, to know I saw him that night. 

Q. Only the first night he came home? 

A, And the other times I have stated. 

Q. Are those the whole of the times you have seen Mr. 
Dowler since his arrival in England? 

A. Yes, they are. 

Q, You have stated you saw Mr. Dowler at his hotel ; 
how often did you see Mr. Dowler at his hotel ? 

A. 1 have told you, once. 

U 



60 

Q. Only once? 

A. Only once. 

Q. What day was that ? 

A. I have already stated, it was the ilrst day he came 
home. 

Q. On Thursday? , 

A. Yes, on Thursday. 

Q. What time of the day did you see him at his hotel on 
Thursday? 

A. At night. 

Q. Did you pass under your own name, of Clarke, on that 
occasion ? 

A. F passed under m name- 

Q. Do you now perfectly recollect that you saw him at, 
his hotel since his arrival in England but on that one occa- 
sion, that Thursday night? 

A. No, the other times I have stated. 

Q. At what hotel did you sen him ? 

A. At Rcid's, in St. Martin's Lane. 

Q. Did you see him more than one time at that hotel ? 

A. No, I did not; I saw him at my own house after* 
wards. 

Q. Were you in company with Mr. Dowler for a consi- 
derable time upon that occasion ? 

A. I have stated, that I was in company with Mr. Dow- 
ler; and [ beg leave to ask the Chair, whether this is a pro- 
per question, whether it is not unbecoming the dignity of 
the House? 

Q. Did you see Mr. Dowler on the Friday morning? 
f Here the witness was ordered to withdraw.] 

Mr. Wilbcrforce justly thought it perfectly incorrect and 
immoral for the committee to enter into a detail of the pri- 
vate concerns of the witness. 

Something farther of the ludicrous occurred, as follows, 
between Mrs. Clarke and a great law-officer. 

■Allorney-Gcn. — Who brought the last message from the 
Duke of York? 

Mrs. Clarke— A particular friend of the Duke of York. 

Q. What is his name ? 

A. Taylor, a shoemaker, in Bond-street — (a laugh). 

Q. Was it a verbal answer you received, or by letter? 

A. It was a verbal one, either in Taylor's own language, 
or the Duke's; 1 don't know which. 

Q. By whom did vou send your message for a few hun- 
dreds ? " 

A. By my pen. 

\ 



51 

Q. By whom did you send your letter ? 

A. Bv this Ambassador of Morocco. 

Having hitherto confined ourselves to the exhibition of 
Mrs. Clarke, as the principal person in this grand national 
drama, we may still throw some additional light, even upon 
her character, by giving a passing description of some of 
the persons who have been contented with acting the inferior 
parts of the comedy. Princes, prostitutes, lawyers, divines, 
senators, and soldiers, certainly form a motley groupe ; but, 
to the expense of this nation, very different from any other 
dramatic entertainment of singular interest : here we know the 
characters not to have been supposed or imaginary, but 
living and real. And as in any other drama, where vicious 
personages have acted their parts, we generally see punish- 
ment assigned them ; so in this also, we know, that more than 
poetical justice has been already done upon some, ^ho were 
not so conscientious in their evidence as they ought to be ; 
and if any thing yet be wanting in the way of retribution, we 
know that posterity, at least, will do ample justice to all 
parties 

The interesting Miss Taylor, lately the successive mis- 
tress of several boarding-schools about the metropolis, has 
long been the friend and companion of Mrs. Clarke. This 
lady might indeed have suffered very severely by her con- 
nection with Mrs. Clarke, it being an undoubted fact, thai 
she was deprived of nine out of twelve scholars, near 
Sloane Street, Chelsea, in consequence of her public ex- 
amination at the Bar of the House of Commons, from 
whence some harsh and unfavourable constructions were 
put upon her private character ; an execution also for debt 
was served upon her property, and she would probably have 
been reduced to beggary, had not a more liberal public 
stepped forward on her behalf. Mr. Cobbet was one of the 
first to propose a subscription in her favour, which has been 
warmly seconded by Sir Francis Burdett and several other 
public spirited gentlemen. In fact, there is scarcely a de- 
scription of people, who do not appear to feel themselves 
interested in supporting every one who has* been concerned 
with Mrs. Clarke in exposing the secret movements of a most 
scandalous corruption : even in Spitaltields, friends and so- 
cieties have not been wanting in forwarding their subscrip- 
tions for assisting Miss Taylor. 

As to Brigadier-General ( lavering, it was early in the 
month of February last that he came forward as a kind of 
volunteer-evidence, for the purpose of impeaching the vera- 
ciiy of Mrs. Clarke. With this view he sent a letter to the 
Attorney -general, desiring that he might be examined. The 



$2 

following is a copy of his letter, and his narrative attached 
to it. 

" Sir, " 8th February. 

" It has been intimated to me, that a. letter 
has been addressed to you by Mrs C which is to he brought 
forward before the House of Commons, wherein my name is 
introduced as being capable, among others, of speaking to 
her veracity. Should this be the case, I am most urgently 
to request, that my name may be expunged from the said 
letter. My testimony, moreover, would mar the very point 
which she is desirous of supporting, since she told me very 
lately, that she was living with Mr. Mellish ; since, being a 
family man, the world would be inclined to attribute im- 
proper motives for my acquaintance with a lady in her situ- 
ation. 

u Being particularly anxious in this business, I wish to 
have the honour of seeing you upon it; and presuming that 
twelve to-morrow will not be an inconvenient hour,, will 
wait on you at that time. 

I accordingly, at twelve yesterday, did call upon Mr. 
Wardle, and I stated to him the purport of the letter which 
I have had the honour of reading to you; and 1 further 
stated, that if it was Mrs. Clarke's intention to summon me 
before the House, my testimony must certainly go to im- 
peach her veracity, because it is not a month since that she 
absolutely stated to me, that she was living with a Mr. Mel- 
lish. On my return, after leaving Colonel Wardle's house, 
it lay in my way to pass by Mrs. Clarke's door, and it oc- 
curred to me, that it might probably be a service also to 
state the same circumstance to her; 1 called there, and she 
denied herself, and said, that she was extremely ill in bed ; 
but that, if 1 would call in two hours, she would see me : i 
replied, that it would not be in my power to call at that time ; 
she then sent me word she was to be seen at home at five 
o'clock, if I called at that time: 1 accordingly did call 
about a quarter after iive, and did not see her: the purport 
of it was to inform her, that if she did call me, I should be 
under the necessity of stating what I have now had the ho- 
nour of stating. 

A lit lie sober examination by some members of the House 
soon dissipated the tumid vapour, which the general seemed 
to be so full of when he first came before them. Sir Thomas 
Turton spoke to General Clavering, as follows: 

Q, 1 understood you to say, that you impeach the credi- 
bility of the testimony of Mrs. Clarke, upon tbe ground 



53 

that she represented herself -to be living w [(h a Mr. Mellish;' 
did she represent herself to yon as living with Mr. Mellish, 
the member for Middlesex ? 

A. She did not say that he was the member for Middlesex. 

Q. Have you any, and what, reasons to suppose (hat she 
did not live under the protection of a Mr Mellish? 

A. That which passed in this honourable house a few 
evenings past ; it was proved that she did not live with Mr. 
Mellish. 

Q. Then I understand you to say, that you have no other 
reason for impeaching the credibility of the testimony of 
Mrs. Clarke, but the statement that she lived under the pro- 
tection of a Mr Mellish ? 

A. Not any that I am at present aware of. 

Q. Have you any reason, independent of any circum- 
stances that you have read or heard of, to impeach her tes- 
timony, or to consider her not worthy of belietf 

A I certainly do not conceive her worthy of belief, from 
having infposed upon me in the manner she bad, and from 
the variety of contrary evidence it does appear she has deli- 
vered before this honourable House. 

AVhen Mr. Croker asked Mrs. Clarke, whether she had 
ever represented herself as being under the protection of a 
Mr. Mellish, she answered, u Neither him, nor any other 
man;" and added, " J really think that gentleman is more 
mad than the person that was committed last night" Upon 
this the chairman informed her, she must answer the ques- 
tions, and not make irrelevant observations. 

Being again asked by Mr. Croker, if she never made a 
representation to that effect to General Clavering, viz. being 
under the protection of Mr. Mellish, she answered, " No, 
never ; I will repeat what was said in my parlour : General 
Clavering was mentioning to me, one morning when he 
called, that Turf Mellish was just setting off with General 
Ferguson; I said, yes, I have beard so, that he had taken 
leave of the Prince the night before: he said that I was iu a 
very good house, and something, that contractors and beef 
went on very well ; that w as all that passed : I made no an- 
swer to that : I have many times heard the report both of 
him and many others." 

The ingratitude of General Clavering to Mrs. Clarke, ac- 
cording to her subsequent evidence, is not a little remark- 
able. 

Speaking at the bar of the House, Mrs. Clarke said, in an- 
swer to a question, General Clavering, I fancy, informed 
the honourable gentlemen here, that he never had any thing 
to say to me upon military affairs; General Clavering, ban* 



54 

a distressed man, Tie was then a colonel, f spoke to llie, Duke. 
Respecting him; and had a great deal of difficulty, more so 
than as to any other man that I ever applied for it! getting 
any sort of employment for him." 

Q. J lave you any papers relating to that matter ? 

A. At last J prevailed upon the Duke to give him a dis- 
trict, and with it he made him a brigadier-general, entirely 
tii rough my means. \_A lau*h,~\ He afterwards. asked me 
to get him a regiment ; and, fearing they might all be given 
away before His Royal Highness came to town, I wrote to 
him when he was reviewing along the coast; here is the let- 
ter which Tl is Royal Highness wrote to me, in which he 
mentions General Clavering's name. 

After manifesting a disposition of this nature, besides 
being guilty of palpable untruths, it was not astonishing 
that the public did complain of partiality in the Commons, 
for letting General Clavering remain at liberty while Cap- 
tain Sandon was shut up in Newgate. However, ground for 
this complaint did not last long: on Thursday, March 23, 
a motion was made for taking the General into custody, 
which was carried into effect on the following day, when he 
was committed to Newgate. He was accompanied there by 
I* is brother, Lord John Campbell, and lodged on the state- 
side of the prison. 

From the evidence given by Mrs. Clarke, on Wednesday, 
February 22, it appeared, that the Duke of York did not 
cease to. correspond with her after ihey had parted. And 
when it was stated to her that the letter, supposed to be the 
last she received from him, was that in which he signified 
his intention of separating from her, it seemed involuntarily 
to draw from her a confession of a contrary kind! She put 
the positive question to Lord Folkstone, Whether His Royal 
Highness had stated that to be the last letter he seut her? 
And when his Lordship said he never heard of any other, 
she triumphantly replied, u I have had many: more than 
M\\ from him since that." His Royal Highness, it seems, 
very soon after parting with Mrs. Clarke, was still conscious of 
her former attractions; for, contriving to get a sight of him 
at his own house, after she had burnt a note which he had 
sent her, as an apology for not coming to dine with her, she 
says, " ffe ran away from ?ne!" Being asked, at the same 
time, How long she had recollected that she had burnt the 
letter alluded to, she said, " Not till just now ; I have burnt 
many of his Royal Highncss\s letters, and lost many of his 
Ion -/titers ;" and she added, u 1 have many of his Urce- 
tettcrs by inc." Mrs. Fa very, Mrs. Clarke's quondam friend 
and housekeeper, was brought forward much about the same 



55 

time, in order, it is supposed, to get at Mrs. Clarke's con- 
nections and character. Mrs. Clarke owned Mrs. Favery 
had told many stories. Mrs. Favery had often been back- 
wards and forwards in Mrs. Clarke's service, and, at length, 
it is said, obtained leave of her to assume the name of Far- 
quhar. Among other awkward situations in which several 
people have been placed by these public enquiries, it seems, 
that Mrs. Favery, wishing to conceal a gentleman's publi- 
city, with whom she had formerly lived, represented the 
Rev. Mr. Ellis, a Clergyman, in the capacity and occ'upa* 
tion of a Carpenter, and then urged as an apology,. u that 
she had no other motive in disguising Mr. Ellis, than her re- 
spect for his family, which made her unwilling to bring a 
gentleman from the pulpit to the bar" 

The letters to which we have alluded to as being sent by 
the Duke to Mrs. Clarke after her separation, are very laco- 
nic. With respect to the 200L which he sent her to go out 
of town, after that event took place, his correspondence is 
very short ; he says, 

" Inclosed I send you the money which you wished to have 
for your journey." 

The two succeeding were also read to the House at the 
same time. 

" Inclosed my darling receives the note as well as the mo- 
ney, which she should have had some days ago." 

u My darling shall have the ticket for the box the moment 
I go home. God bless you." 

The next letter written by His Royal Highness, and copied 
for him by Mr. Greenwood, was intended as a sufficient 
apology for the Duke's resolution to separate from Mrs. 

Clarke. 

" You must recollect the occasion which obliged 
me, above seven months ago, to employ my solicitor in a 
suit with w r hieh I was then threatened on your account ; the 
result of those inquiries first gave me reason to form an un- 
favourable opinion of your conduct ; you cannot, therefore,, 
accuse me of rashly or hastily deciding against you : but,, 
after the proofs which have at last been brought forward to 
me, and which it is impossible for you to controvert, I owe 
it to my own character and situation to abide by the resolu- 
tion I have taken, and from which it is impossible for me to 
recede. An interview between us must be a painful task to 
both, and can be of no possible advantage to j r ou ; — I there- 
fore must decline it. May, 1S06." 

In another of these laconic epistle*, His Royal Highness 
says,— 



r>6 

ik If it could be of the least advantage to either of us, I 
should not hesitate in complying with your wish to see me; 
but as a meeting must, 1 should think, be painful to both of 
us, under the present circumstances, I must decline it," 

And in a third, 

" I enter fully into your sentiments concerning your chiU 
dren, but cannot undertake what I am not sure of per- 
forming. 

" \\ ilh regard to Wey bridge, I think that you had bet- 
ter remove your furniture, and then direct the person who 
teas employed to take the house, to give it up again." 

Relative to the house in Gloucester-place, it may be proper 
here to observe, that the lease and the effects sold at the 
hammer for 4,400/. after having cost, no doubt, 9,0001. at 
least ; for, considering the circumstances under which they 
were bought and sold, they could not bring so much as half 
their original price ; a fact well known to those who have fur- 
nished houses on trust, as the Dukeof York furnished that, and 
who have bold at the hammer, Adding to the 9,000/. for 
equipping the Gloucester- place establishment, the 1,500/, 
paid for Mrs, Clarke's jewels, we shall find that the 5,500/. 
was in reality all that was paid for the support of that es- 
tablishment during twenty-eight months. Now, the greatest 
economist could not have maintained, out of 2,500/. per 
annum, an establishment consisting of nine men-servants, 
nine horses, two carriages, a house, with sumptuous dinners 
daily, in Gloucester-place, and another at Oatlands. Debts 
were obviously inevitable. 

The observations made by Mr. Cobbct in his Political Re» 
gister, upon the part which Sir Francis Burdett has taken, 
in seconding Mr. Wardle's motion, which led to the deve- 
lopemeut of these extraordinary transactions, are so appro- 
priate and striking, as they strike at the root of the evil, 
that we shall insert them here without comment, and leave it 
to the public to form their own opinion. 

a Sow is the time," says this energetic writer, Ci for the 
people to ask the revilers of Sir Francis liurdett, whether he 
was so very much to blame, when lie told the Electors of 
Westminster, that no good was to be expected, till we could 
i tear out the leaves of the accursed lied Book? Colonel 
French, and Colonel Knight, and Captain Donovan, and 
Captain Sancton, and Mr. Dowler, and the rest of the nu* 
merons petticoat-patronised crew, are all to be found in that 
Ked Hook, ihe heaves of which he wished to tear out. His 
voice will, I trust, now be heard by those who were before 
misled; if, indeed, there could be any such. I trust that 



m 

now the venal cleclaimers about c Jacobinism 1 will no 
longer be able to blind the understanding of any man, how- 
ever simple that man may be. 

u The man, who now affects to believe that a deep-rooted 
system of corruption does not prevail, must be an arrant 
knave ; and, of course, none but an arrant knave will affect 
to believe, that a radical reform of that system, and a speedj/ 
one too, is not necessary to the preservation of the Throne, 
as well as of the remaining liberties of. the people. But, in 
the mean time, and, indeed, as necessarily conducive to this 
reform, let the people bear in mind, that it is their money 
that has been sported with ; that it was not Colonel French's 
money, nor Mr. Dowler's money, that the Duke of York's 
kept-mistress took, and that was expended upon her foot- 
men, chariots, musicians, singers, players, dancers, para- 
sites, &c, but, in the end, the money of the people. This is 
the important truth for them to keep hi view. Let every fa- 
ther of a family consider how much less, from this cause, he 
will have to bequeath his children. When those, who for- 
merly lived in affluence from the rent of their estates, reflect 
how they have been obliged to dismiss servant after servant ; 
sell horse after horse ; abridge pot after pot of the ale that 
formerly gladdened the heart of the comer; aye, and to cut 
down tree after tree, and to sell acre after acre; let all such 
persons, when, with aching heart, they so reflect, think of 
Mrs. Clarke, and the services of plate, and the wine-glasses, 
at a guinea a-piece, and the rattling carriages, and the laced 
footrnen, and the musicians, and the singing-boys, and the 
players, and the dancers, &c. in Gloucester-place; and let 
every mind in the kingdom be fixed upon the scene described 
by Miss Taylor, every tongue repeat, and every ear tingle 
at the words, ' Hon) does French behave to Darling?' Dar- 
ling ! How many a widowed mother has had to pronounce 
that word over a child, driven from beneath her roof, by the 
penury produced by these and similar corruptions! Look 
into families, once respectable in point of fortune, and you 
rind them consisting of a crowd of tjelpless females, unable 
to work, and ashamed to beg : the sons all forced away, for 
want of the means possessed by their father, to seek a sub- 
sistence from patronage, to get back again some small por- 
tion of what their father had paid in taxes, and, in order to 
succeed, creeping to those whom that father would have de- 
spised; nay, perhaps, the last stake of the family is con- 
verted into a bribe for a whore, while a score of breasts are 
rilled with anxiety lest the sum should not be sufficient. 
Thus has the nation been degraded ; its spirit subdued ; its 
heart broken ; and its property rendered a prey to the infa- 

i 



58 

nious reptiles, who, at last, stand exposed to its execrations, 
and who, I trust, are at no great distance from the hour of 
feeling the eficcts of its vengeance. 1 mean not the vengeance 
of a mob, but the steady, sober, and deliberate, vengeanc* 
of the law." 

But the Duke's apology was, beyond all contradiction, 
worse than his supposed crime. As a lover, we have seen 
that he cut but an indifferent figure; as a logician, he cut 
no figure at all. We allude here to the apology which he 
made to the Commons, apparently, if possible, to stop them 
in the mid-career of their investigation. The following is a 
copy of this curious document: — It is addressed to the 
Speaker of the House. 

"Sir, Horse-Guards, Feb. 23, 1S09. 

Ci I have waited wit!) the greatest anxiety until 
the committee appointed by the House of Commons to in- 
quire into my conduct as Commander-in-chief of his Ma- 
jesty's Army, had closed its examinations, and I now hope 
that it will not be deemed improper to address this letter 
through you to the House of Commons. 

" I observe, with the deepest concern, that, in the course 
of this inquiry, my name has been coupled with transactions 
the most criminal and disgraceful, and 1 must ever regret and 
lament, that a connection should ever have existed which lias 
thus exposed my character and honour to public animad- 
version. 

u With respect to any alledged offences connected with 
the discharge of my official duties, I do, in the most solemn 
manner, upon my honour, as a Prince, distinctly assert my 
innocence, not only by denying all corrupt participation in 
any of the infamous transactions which have appeared in 
evidence at the Bar of the House of Commons, or any con- 
nivance at their existence, but also the slightest knowledge 
or suspicion that they existed at all. 

" My consciousness of innocence leads me confidently to 
hope that the House of Commons will not, upon such evi- 
dence as they have heard, adopt any proceeding prejudicial 
to my honour and character; but if, upon such testimony as 
has been adduced against me, the House of Commons can 
think my innocence questionable, f claim of their justice that 
I shall not be condemned without trial, or be deprived of the 
benefit and protection which is afforded to every British sub- 
ject, by those sanctions, under which alone evidence is re- 
ceived in the ordinary administration of the law. 
" I am, sir, your's, 

" Frederick," 
" The Speaker of the House of Commons." 



59 

This letter several members of the House were disposed to 
treat as an insult to their understandings, and the common 
feelings of men. It appeared, evidently, to have been the 
intention of the writer to overwhelm them with his honour 
and his dignity as a prince. This, however, proved but weak 
reasoning; because the law of England knows, nothing about 
a prince's honour as a branch of evidence. Besides, the na- 
tion acknowledges no prince, excepting ihe Prince of Wales. 
His brothers, according to the courtesy of England, are 
Royal Dukes, and Royal Dukes only : it is, of course, a very 
unwarrantable assumption for any person, except the Prince 
of Wales, to take upon himself his just and lawful title. 

Upon this letter, and a Pi hice's honour, Sir Francis Bur- 
nett, in a speech that soon followed, was uncommonly ani- 
mated. 

Sir Francis ridiculed the Duke's advocates, and particu- 
larly the Crown Lawyers. He said »there were some minds 
that could not, in the glare of sunshine, see the plainest ob- 
jects, but whose vision was most accurate even in the dark- 
ness of midnight. Mrs. Clarke had foiled them all, even 
His Majesty's Attorney-General. O ! but Mrs. Clarke was 
a witch — an enchantress : the fact was, they were defeated 
by the proofs which stared them in the face. Truth to a 
lawyer, (said Sir Francis,) was like a red rag to a viper: 
it extracted his venom. Such evidence nothing could with- 
stand — no, not even " the honour of a Prince." Contrast- 
ing Mrs. Clarke's evidence with "the honour of a Prince," 
he would ask how had the Duke of York behaved to Mrs. 
Clarke? — she for whom lie expressed such fondness — and yet 
she whom he kicked from him as he would his shoe ! Why, it 
makes one's blood run cold to think of it! to think of his 
trying to render infamous the woman for whom he had ex- 
pressed such love! What a picture does this woman present 
to us, even when contrasted with the " honour of a Prince!" 
Alas, what a melancholy comparison ! She demanded her an- 
nuity only to pay the debts she had contracted under his 
protection, and he refused even that paltry pittance, be- 
cause she could not produce his bond for it ! — There (said 
Sir Francis), there is u the honour of a Prince" for you ! 

As to the Duke's loss in point of emolument, in conse- 
quence of his late resignation by his friends, it has been 
much undervalued. These emoluments cannot amount to 
less than twenty thousand per annum. 

The appointments are 10/. per day, besides an allowance 
for fifty horses, his travelling ex pen ces defrayed — Stationery, 
coals, &c. 

We have already brought forward the letter which His 



60 

Royal Highness sent to the House of Commons. We. must 
now return to their proceedings upon that document, and 
the subsequent circumstances which occupied their attention/ 
till the business was completed. 

On Monday, March 6, Mr. Perceval informed the House 
there was a small paper omitted, through mistake in the 
printed copies of the evidence taken in the business of tho 
Duke of York ; it was the letter of the Duke's, containing 
an inclosure, and having the Dover Post mark, 

Mr. Whitbread hoped the letter itself would be forth* 
coming on tho discussion, that it might be seen no alteration 
had taken place. Indeed, upon this ground, all the papers 
should be open to inspection. 

On Wednesday, March 8, Lord Folkstone gave notice 
of putting olFthe pending motion, upon the conduct of the 
Duke of York, till Monday se'nnight ; this, however, being 
over-ruled, 

Colonel Wardle rose, and addressed the House nearly as 

follows : " Fully aware, sir, of the importance of tho 

subject upon which I am new to address you, in pursu- 
ance of my notice, I shall trouble the House with but very 
few preliminary observations. The evidence being now coin 
eluded, and perused by every one, my leading object is to 
represent the case in that form and manner most conducive 
to promote a fair and just decision. This I shall endeavour to 
do, as far as lies in my power, with the utmost impartiality 
and precision : and I trust I have, upon all occasions, hi- 
therto avoided touching upon any thing that can lead to a 
contrary inference. I must own that 1 did feel considerably 
indignant at the motives that were attributed to me on the 
outset; motives that were evidently thrown out for the puiN 
pose of making it be imagined 1 was treating His Royal 
Highness the Commander-in-chief with more harshness than 
was proper or necessary. These insinuations, however, 
have had but little weight, and I have only now to return my 
thanks for the favour shewn me, and the general attention { 
have received from this House, throughout the whole of this 
investigation. In particular, 1 do most sincerely thank His 
Majesty's ministers for the attention they have paid me, and 
the tenderness they have evinced in regard to my feelings 
upon an occasion like this, when a most arduous task has 
been undertaken by an individual. Unaided as I was at 
the outset of this delicate and important business, I must 
confess I felt a great deal of comfort in the support I soon 
afterwards received from the Hon. Baronet, the member for 
Westminster, (Sir Francis Burdetl); but had to lament, 
that very early in the examination, I had the misfortune to 



61 

lose, through ill health, the assistance of that honourable 
and worthy character ; a loss which I severely felt. The 
loss was, in a very great measure, compensated by the ac- 
quisition of the abilities and strenuous exertions of my noble 
friend near me (Lord Folkstone), to whom I think the 
country must feel much indebted. To him I consider my- 
self under the strongest obligations; for, at the very moment 
when it was thought by many that some degree of odium was 
likely to attach to the accuser, he not only assisted me with his 
able exertions, but chose voluntarily to place himself in what 
was exactly my situation. There is nothing, however, in 
which I more rejoice, than that His Royal Highness has 
had, in this case, the most able assistance in defendiug the 
charges brought against him. His Majesty's ministers and 
the crown lawyers all thought it their duty to support him, 
This they did openly and avowedly ; and I am glad they 
did so; for it must convince the world, that every thing has 
been done for the Commander-in-chief that could have been 
done. Although I give every credit to those right honour- 
able and learned gentlemen, for the arduous and strenuous 
support they have afforded His Royal Highness the Duke of 
York, yet still 1 must observe, that, as representatives of 
the people, tiiey, as well as others of us here assembled, 
should remember, that it is their duty to maintain the rights 
of the people as well as the rights of the crown. I trust, sir, 
that whatever may have been their anxiety for an exculpa- 
tion of this royal personage, the event of this inquiry will 
evince their sense of the duty they owe to their country; 
on that I rely, and shall now proceed to offer some remarks 
upon the evidence that has been taken at your bar. 

Mr, Wardle then proceeded to. animadvert upon the 
cases of Captain Mating, Tonyn, &c. in which many 
points were urged against the Duke's advocates. As to 
Colonel French's levy, he said it was " a strong one," and 
to which he recommended their serious attention. 

The first witness in it was Captain Huxley Sandon, and 
who proved lie had an interest in it by his application to Mrs. 
Clarke, to get her to use lier's with the Commander-in-chief, 
not only for the original letter of service, but for many fa- 
vourable alterations in it, during the progress of many months. 
He then stated Mr. Corri's evidence, that he received 2001. 
for introducing the parties to see Mrs. Clarke, and that 
he told Sandon, Mrs. Clarke said she could recommend no 
one but persons of character, whose business might go 
through the War-Office like others. Dowler's evide nee was 
the next ; who remonstrated with Mrs. Clarke for engaging 
in such affairs, and was answered by her, that she did so 
on account of the Duke of York being distressed for money. 



62 

Grant, the agent for the Levy, spoke to the fact of French 
wishing to procure a loan of 5000/. for the Duke of York. 
Mrs. Clarke, to the negociation for her influence, and her re- 
ceiving the money. Miss Taylor, to the conversation she 
was present at when His Royal Highness asked Mrs. Clarke 
how French behaved to her, &c. and Dockery to the pay- 
ment, of 500/. for plate, to Birkett and Co. 

From all these corroborating circumstances, it must in his 
opinion be granted, that a fee was offered to Mrs. Clarke, 
accepted and paid, in consequence of the parties believing 
she had performed them a service by means of her influence 
with the Commander in Chief. The next point to be consider- 
ed was, whether Mrs. Clarke possessed the influence ascribed 
to her, and used it in this instance. Mr. Grant, Dowler, and 
Sandon, agreed on this point ; and Mrs. Clarke stated, that 
she gave the notes she received from Colonel French to the 
Duke of York. For months they were iti the habit of send- 
ing her money for the favours she procured for them, for 
which it was clear that she possessed this influence, and used 
it in their behalf Here he should call the attention of the 
House to Mrs Clarke's letters to Captain Sandon, The first 
letter deserving of notice was, that in which Mrs. Clarke 
tells Sandon, she had presented the papers to the Duke of 
York, who would comply with his request, and telling him 
to call at the War-Office for an answer. From this it ap- 
peared, that Mrs Clarke knew from the Duke of Vork 
what was to be done at the office, and seemed as well aware 
that the official course was to be attended to, as Colonel Gor- 
don himself. Letter 3 1st — "I hope you will attend the 
Duke to-day, as Clinton leaves him on Thursday, and he 
has all your writings in hand : he will not leave his office 
till six." From this, tb^-hon. gentleman contended, it was 
clear, that Mrs. Clarke ii ad a direct communication with 
the office, through the Duke of York, otherwise how could 
she tell what General Clinton was doing. Letter 39, stating 
that " an answer was left out at the office for Col. French, 
and that now he had dropped three guineas per man, '* could 
not have been known to Mrs. Clarke, but through the Com- 
mander in Chief In letter 11, Mrs. Clarke informs Sandon, 
that " lie was to have the bounty that Pitt is to give to the 
line," which she could not have been informed of but by the 
Commander-in-chief. In letter 8, he maintained, she ap- 
peared as a direct agent for the Duke of York, telling San- 
don, "to get on faster with his men," and to "send her" 
documents of the exact number sent, in order to shew them 
to the Commander-in-chief. On letter 10, the lion, gentle- 
man observed, it was very natural for Mrs. Clarke to suppose 
that Mr. Greenwood, if he baw Sandon at the Opera ac* 



63 

xjuainted with her, would imagine that he had some influence 
with her, and by mentioning it to the Duke of York, place 
him in an awkward situation, and perhaps oblige him to give 
up the levy, which would be injurious to both parties. Of 
letter 6, he observed, that it was a peculiar circumstance 
that no documents were to be found on the table relative to 
the subject of which it treated, namely, a German levy. 
Though there were no official documents to shew r by what 
authority Col. French undertook to raise men in Germany, 
certain it was, and he could prove it, that he had sent 
recruiting parties to that country. — If, therefore, no official 
authority for doing so could be shewn, and it could be proved 
that he actually did this, then it was clear that he did it on 
the authority of Mrs. Clarke alone, or of the Duke of York 
through her, as directed in this letter. By this it was seen, 
that Mrs. Clarke examined proposals for raising one thou- 
sand men in Germany, and made a report thereon to the 
Duke of York, acting, in this instance, in the capacity of 
commander-in-chief herself. It w r as also clear, that she had 
done so from this circumstance, that she desired Sandon to 
wait upon the Duke of York to talk over these very altera- 
tions. She represents herself as having suggested them to 
him, which she would not have done unless she had really 
held such a conversation. The next letter, No. 15, stated 
that the Duke of York was " very angry with you (Sandon), 
for when he last saw you, you promised him 300 foreigners, 
and you have not produced one. O yes, Mr. Sandon is a 
pretty fellow to depend o/?." This was a positive proof that 
the German recruiting was carried on with the knowledge of 
the Duke of York. It was also a proof of Mrs. Clarke's 
knowledge of the proposals made by Sandon to the Com- 
mander-in-chief, which she must have been made acquaint- 
ed with by His Royal Highness. After these letters, in ad- 
dition to the evidence heard at the bar, there could be no 
doubt on the mind of any one, that Mrs. Clarke possessed 
influence over the Commander-in-chief, and used it on this 
occasion. 

The next point to be examined was, whether the Com- 
mander-in-chief knew of Mrs. Clarke's receiving pecuniary 
consideration for the use of her influence. Mrs. Clarke as- 
serts that she told him; but he would suppose that such was 
not the case. For a long time applications without end 
were made,; and he would ask, was it possible for His Royal 
Highness to assign any other reason for her continued ex- 
ertion and interference, but that she received a pecuniary 
rev ard for her iabours. He would have asked her, why she 
interested herself so much for Colonel French's Levy, and 



64 

what wore her .motives for wishing so earnestly to procure 
all the alterations required. What answer could she have" 
given to such interrogation but the true one, that she re- 
ceived money for her influence. If she said it was her friend- 
ship for the parties that induced her thus warmly to espouse 
their cause, such a declaration would not have been Very 
satisfactory to the Duke of York. From this he inferred, 
that His Royal Highness must have made such an inquiry > 
and would have been satisfied with wo answer but the true 
one, that a beneficial consideration was paid to Mrs. Clarke 
for her services. Money was sent to her for this transaction 
at all times, without concealment or reserve, and not at all as 
it would have been, had Mrs. Clarke been afraid of its coming 
to the knowledge of the Duke of York, li also appeared 
from the evidence of Mrs. Clarke and Mr. Bowler, that a 
loan of 5,000/. was negociated for His Royal Highness him* 
self, which had not much the appearance of a wish to con* 
ceal these things from him. Another point which evinced the 
Duke of York's knowledge of this traffic was, that the ex* 
penditure of the establishments at Gloucester-Place and Wey* 
bridge, exceeded the mode of supply. This was to be attend- 
ed to in every part of the question. Miss Taylor's evidence 
was also so natural and conclusive, that if it did not carry- 
conviction with it, he would be ready to give up his cause: 
— " French worries me continually about the Levy business, 
and is always wanting something more in his own favour. 
How does he behave to you, Darling ? To which Mrs Clarke 
answers, " Middling; not very well ;" and His Royal High- 
ness rejoins, ''Master French must mind what he is about, or 
I shall cut him up and his Levy too " Even if unsupported 
by any other proof, he should think upon this testimony alone 
Use point incontrovertible. But there were other strongly cor- 
roborating circumstances, which would of themselves estab- 
lish this case. The payment of the service of plate might be 
thought sufficient for that purpose. Mrs. Clarke paid 500/. 
of this, and the Duke of York paid the remainder by his own 
bills. Mrs. Clarke said she paid this 500/. from the money 
she received from Colonel French, and it appeared from the 
documents on the table, that the letter of service for which 
French gave her at once 500 guineas, was dated the 30th of 
April, and she paid the sum of 500/. to Birkett on the 18th 
of May following. No attempt was made on the other side 
to shew that she had received a sum to this amount from the 
Duke of York about thetime; audit was evident that he must 
have been aware of her having made this payment for the 
plate, of which he paid the remainder. It was very natural 
that he should wish to know where she got the 500/. and 



05 

doubtless lie did know precisely from whence it came, 
lie bad again to advert to the loan of 5000/. which Mrs. 
Clarke never could have negocialed without the knowledge of 
the Duke of York, as it would have been absolute folly to 
proceed with that which could not be brought to a conclusion., 
without his becoming a principal party in it, by giving the 
proper security, and still think it necessary to be kept a se* 
cret from him. 

The next point arose from the official documents on the 
table. — Colonel French made a regular application, and ob- 
tained a letter of service to raise 5000 men in thirteen months, 
with power to Government to discontinue the Levy, if 4000 
men were not raised by it in nine months. Seven months 
after the date of the letter of service only 200 men were 
raised, and the bounty was advanced. By a letter, dated 
Jan. 15, 1805, Colonel French makes a heavy complaint 
against Brigadier-general Taylor, who was at the head of 
the recruiting service in Ireland. 

In answer to the letter from Colonel Gordon to Mr. Kirk-* 
man on this subject, a letter was received from Mr. Kirkman , 
inclosing one from General Taylor, which repels the charge 
of Colonel French, and points out to the Commander-in- 
chief that it was a levy without men ; and that, from the 
little exertion used, or to be expected, and the number of 
officers and non-commissioned officers, every man raised cost 
the country 150/. That Colonel French was only giving a 
bounty of eleven guineas and a half, while those recruiting 
around him were giving sixteen guineas. This was at the 
end of nine months, when they had raised but 200 men, in* 
stead of the 4000, which they were bound to do; and con- 
sidering the strong language used by General Taylor, he 
could not help being surprised at the Le\y being allowed to 
go on another hour. After a document, which shewed to the 
Commander in Chief that every man raised by this Levy cost 
the people, burdened with taxes beyond their power to pay, 
one hundred and fifty pounds ; and stated the vile and abomi- 
nable practice of officers and men connected with it, was it 
possible that any influence could induce the Duke of York 
to suffer it to go on, to suffer so vile and abominable a job, 
ruinous to the best interests of the country, to continue. God 
knew what that influence was ; it was surely greater than 
even Mrs. Clarke's, since the remonstrance of General Taylor 
produced no other effect than a gentle hint in a letter to raise 
men more rapidly. 

In answer to this heavy accusation against Colonel French, 
Colonel Gordon writes to Mr. Kirkman, on the 25th Feb- 
ruary, stating that General Taylor had formed a premature 



66 

judgment. A premature judgment ! after uinc months trial, 
who could believe that such things were and had ever ex- 
isted. This letter inclosed one from General Whitclocke to 
Colonel French, informing him, that unless a very consider- 
able increase took place in the numbers recruited for the levy, 
prior to the 1st of April next, His Royal Highness would 
feel himself under the necessity of discontinuing it. 

The next document was a letter from Gen. VVhitelocke to 
Col. Gordon, dated 14th April, stating the above, and that 
only 219 men had been raised in 12 months, instead of 5000 
in 13 months ; recommending, therefore, to discontinue the 
Levy. What could have induced the Commander-in-chief 
to go on after this? He firmly believed, if Gen. White- 
locke had not interfered, the Levy would not have been 
stopped at all. A third letter from Gen. VVhitelocke to Col. 
Gordon, inclosing the Inspector General of the Recruiting 
Service in the London District, Colonel Robinson's, formal 
complaint against the whole of the temporary serjeants of 
Colonel French's Levy, as behaving in a manner infamous 
and disgraceful to the service, and, instead of recruiting for 
the Levy, crimping for other corps. When this was seen at 
home, the Commander-in-chief stopped the Levy, as not so 
productive as might have been expected. This was the first 
proceeding of the Commander-in-chief towards men pro- 
tected by his mistress. Was there a gentleman who heard 
him, or a military officer acquainted with the service, who be- 
lieved they would have been thus treated, unless they had 
been under his protection? Yet, on the 20th April, they 
dared to insult the Commander-in-chief with another propo- 
sition to continue the Levy^ under certain modifications. 
They durst not have done so, had they not known who pro- 
tected them. Colonel Gordon answers, that the request could 
not be complied with. From these official documents, .a 
convincing proof was offered to every dispassionate man, 
that an incalculable burthen had been laid on tire country; 
and that for every guinea Mrs. Clarke received, the people 
paid eighty by this destructive system. After impartially 
weighing the whole of this evidence, if any man could say, 
that the Duke of York was not a party in these transactions, 
no evidence on earth was capable of convincing him. 

The next case he would advert to was that of Samuel Car- 
ter, who was Mrs. Clarke's foot-boy: It appeared, that he 
had been in her service a year, that through her influence 
with the Commander in Chief he had procured his commis- 
sion ; that he went from her service immediately to the 
army. It had appeared in evidence, that he went behind 
her carriage, waited at table, scowered candlesticks, and 



67 

performed many other menial offices. The Duke of York 
knew him as Mrs. Clarke's foot-boy ; he had waited at table 
on His Royal Highness and Mrs. Clarke ; and consequently 
when he bestowed a commission on Samuel Carter, His 
Royal Highness voluntarily gave a commission to his mis- 
tress's foot-boy. Samuel Carter's appointment took place 
in 1804 : application had been made for him three years be- 
fore by Captain Sutton, without being followed up as usual, 
by memorial, and the interference of friends. How could 
it be supposed that it was known at the office of the 
Commander in Chief after a three years silence, that the 
person originally recommended was in existence, unless the 
application had been renewed from another quarter. Letters 
from Carter had been produced, filled with acknowledgments 
to Mrs. Clarke for placing him in that situation ; and these 
alone were sufficient to dissipate every doubt as to the quarter 
from whence he derived his appointment. No doubt, he 
thought, could be entertained of Mrs Clarke's having ex- 
erted her influence over the Commander in Chief in behalf 
of her foot-boy, and if her influence extended so far as to 
compass such a point, he thought it difficult to say how far 
it might extend ; for as he had already proved, the Duke of 
York must have known Samuel Carter had served Mrs. 
Clarke in the menial capacity of a foot-boy. 

After saying a few words upon Major Turner, Mr. Wardle 
concluded thus: I have been induced (observed the honour- 
able member) to come forward, and to perform my duty ac- 
cording to the best of my judgment. 1 have stated my sen- 
timents without the smallest disguise on this most important 
occasion. I would be the last man upon earth to wound the 
feelings of this illustrious individual unnecessarily, but the 
duty which 1 owe my country is paramount to every other 
consideration. Therefore, sir, I beg leave to move, 

That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, 
stating, that his faithful Commons have had evidence pro- 
duced at their bar, of certain corrupt practices having ex- 
isted for some years past in the disposal of commissions and 
promotions in the army. That his faithful Commons hav- 
ing carefully examined witnesses with due deliberation, 
feel themselves, with concern and astonishment, obliged, by 
their duty to their constituents, to declare, that the result 
of their deliberate enquiries, after patiently examining a 
variety of documents, is, that in their opinion the existence 
of such corrupt practices has been substantially proved; 
that they are restrained, by motives of personal respect, 
from entering into a detail of all that has come out in evi- 
dence, as they are convinced, the extent to which the 



68 

abuses complained of have existed, could not be staled to 
His Majesty without exciting in his bosom the most acute 
sensations of pain and indignation ; without endeavouring 
fully to develope all the consequences of the existence of 
such abuses, tney cannot refrain from pointing one great 
evil likely to result from them : should an opinion get abroad 
in the armies of His Majesty, that promotions were thus ohr 
tained, in a manner unjust to the army, and disgraceful to 
authorities which countenance them, its effects must be fatal. 
That it is the opinion of this House, that such abuses could 
not exist to the extent to which they have been proved to 
exist, without the knowledge of the Commander-in-chief ; 
and if they did, if that could be urged in his favour, the 
command could not in safety or in prudence be entrusted to 
him any longer. His Majesty's faithful Commons, there- 
fore, are of opinion, that the Duke of York ought to be de^ 
prived of the command of the army." 

Mr. Burton, in a very long speech, controverted nearly 
the whole of this evidence. 

Mr. Curwen said, that he did not think it was for him to 
decide, whether there were any persons in that House who 
were fearful of giving opinions dictated by iheir feelings; 
and as to what motives influenced himself, he did not feel it 
necessary to declare them, because he did not think it pro- 
bable that they should be questioned (II 'cur! hear!)— the 
evidence upon which they were to decide was open; every 
individual had an opportunity of consulting it; the eyes of 
the country were upon them, and it behoved them to consider, 
that they were deciding upon a cause on which its anxiety 
had been roused, and its judgment informed. lie did not 
think it necessary to prove, that the Duke of York was 
privy to the corrupt practices that had been shewn to exist ; 
he thought it sufficient to establish, that he had been so neg- 
ligently remiss, as to admit the existence of those prac-i 
tices ; and, in his mind, enough was proved to make it 
right to displace him. (Hear! hear!) From the view 
he took of the subject, it was not necessary that he should 
contend for the purity of Mrs. Clarke. The character of 
an accuser was an unpleasant one; the task a painful 
one; but when it was undertaken from a motive of attach- 
ment to the country, and a wish to extinguish the corrup- 
tion that so undeniably existed, it was laudable. He was 
persuaded that the best duty that could be performed both 
to the country and to the King, was that of endeavouring to 
eradicate corruption, or at least to adopt such measures as 
were most likely to' produce the result. The first point to 
which he would cull the attention of the House was that of 



69 

Colonel French . If the Commander-in-chief permitted him 
to hold the situation under these circumstances, would anyone 
undertake to say, that there was nothing corrupt, that there 
was nothing wrong. The honourable gentleman might say, 
that it was all the fault of education; that it was owing to the 
circumstance of His Royal Highness not knowing accounts. 
(Hear}) But the country would look for a more satisfac- 
tory explanation ; they would require a more adequate apo- 
logy for such conduct. With respect to the case of Major 
Tonyn, the honourable gentleman had stated that the letter 
was of a mysterious nature, but he could not agree in that 
opinion; when he looked to the evidence that had been 
given— when he looked to that which was wrung from Co- 
lonel Gordon like drops of blood — when be looked to that of 
General Hope, and many other gentlemen, who gave opini- 
ons upon the subject, he did not think that any one would 
be justified in concluding that that letter was mysterious. 
(Hear! hear I) — There was another circumstance to make 
against such a supposition, which was, that it was written 
on office-paper. Upon the whole, he was so far convinced 
of its authenticity, that he could say, he believed, in his con- 
science that letter was written by the Duke of York. (Hear] 
hear!) The House was not then trying a case of law; it was 
not to be guided by the rules of the Old Bailey : in the in- 
stance before it, it was to decide from a more comprehensive 
view of the circumstances, than a court of law could em- 
brace ; and, as a representative of the people of England, 
he felt himself authorised to take that view, and to decide 
upon that enlarged principle. Had the honourable gentle- 
man forgotten the testimony of General Clavering ? In that 
testimony it was stated, that he did not ask the" question at 
the office, because it was one which would be highly impro- 
per for an officer to have answered ; and yet, after his applU 
cation to Mrs. Clarke, a space of ten days had not elapsed 
before she procured the information. Here was a proof of 
established intercourse; it weighed so strongly on his mind, 
that he found it impossible to believe that those subjects did 
riot prove the common conversation of His lioyal Highness 
and Mrs. Clarke. Miss Taylor's evidence too was corrobo- 
rative, as it afforded a ground for disapproving of the Duke 
of York; and he was surprised to find that the honourable 
gentleman had argued upon the foundation of Sandon's cvU 
dence, an evidence which Tie had set out with objecting 
against, but concluded with using. The next case to which 
he would advert was that of Colonel Shaw. The honoura- 
ble gentleman had asked why the money was refused? But 
the reason had been stated explicitly ; it was because he ha<l 



70 

not kept his word.. As to the expenditure, he certainly did 
not expect that persons of high rank would be able to ascer- 
tain with accuracy the amount expended in any given time ; 
but when not a week passed without great expenses, he 
asked, whether common persons would not be able to know 
something of the matter, and whether their common sense 
would not dictate to them the expediency of curtailing ? The 
honourable gentleman had asked, was there not a mill to 
grind through day and night ? He said, no; it rather resem- 
bled a windmill that would only go at particular times. 
Neither party-feeling nor affection should influence them on 
the present occasion ; the sentence they were about to pro- 
nounce, should be calm, deliberate, and impartial; their 
decision, if they discharged their duty, would be produc- 
tive of much good ; it would teach all ranks and classes 
that they were responsible for their conduct ; it would teach 
them, from the highest to the lowest, that they must do their 
duty ; by convincing them, that the neglect or abandonment 
of it would be punished. Every man, he was sure, must 
feel for the situation in which His Majesty was placed by 
this business ; but, as duty was the motive by which they 
were to be guided, they must see that its dictates excluded 
the operation of such considerations. It had been said, that 
conspiracies existed ; he believed that corruptions existed, 
he was. sure of it; and, if he could only succeed in checking 
and preventing these corruptions, we should obtain a more 
signal advantage than even a triumph over Bonaparte. One 
remark he would make on the case of Carter, before he sat 
down : he certainly might be a very deserving man, and 
many, from the lowest rank, had risen to be the ornaments 
of the country ; but, at the same time, he considered his ap- 
pointment, under all the circumstances, proving the influence 
of Mrs. Clarke with His Royal Highness, as an appointment 
to which objection should be taken ; this was the time when 
reformation should be adopted : the country required it, and 
expected it ; there was enough in the case before them to 
persuade the House, that it was incumbent on them to adopt 
it. 

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, with respect to the 
course that he should have the honour to recommend, it 
would commence with coming to a decision — aye or no — on, 
the personal corruption or connivance (for he allowed they 
were the same thing) of His Royal Highness; and if the House 
agreed with him, he should then tender an amendment to the 
proposition of the honourable gentleman, by which that pro- 
position would be converted into a resolution, that the House 
saw no ground of charge against his Royal Highness for cor* 



71 

ruption, or connivance at corruption. This was an opinion 
which he had formed on a deliberate examination of the cir- 
cumstances, and he would distinctly state to the House the 
grounds of his conviction. He allowed, that he had not come 
unprejudiced to this inquiry. In any age or country, the 
personal corruption of individuals holding situations of high 
trust and confidence, ought not easily to be credited. Surely 
it was not dealing fairly with such individuals, to condemn 
them upon ground on which the lowest and meanest of the 
people would be acquitted. It would be a most mischievous 
encouragement to Jacobinism, were we to declare, that these 
were grounds for condemning such individuals, because we 
saw apparent grounds multiplying in the pamphlets around 
us. Difficult was it to be believed that any man, but still 
more so that an individual holding so important a situation 
as His Royal Highness the Duke of York, should, for such 
a contemptible consideration as 25001. or 30001. (and this 
was the utmost that was attempted to be proved against him), 
become a party to such a base conspiracy as that of which 
he was accused ; or that, by such means, he would feed and 
supply the adulterous connection in which it was not to be 
denied that he was engaged. Such a departure from public 
principle, and from every feeling valuable to a public man- 
ner, was not to be credited on light grounds. lie confessed, 
that every prejudice of his own mind was, in the first in- 
stance, excited against the probability of this accusation be- 
ing well founded. It had been proved that it was ill-found- 
ed ; it had been proved that His Royal Highness was as free 
from corruption as he had originally conceived him to be. 
If, however, the charges were sustained by the House, his 
Royal Highness was amenable to the laws ; and in that case 
it became them to impeach him for his alleged crime, and 
not to impose on his Majesty that task which it was their 
duty themselves to perform. If the House thought His Royal 
Highness innocent, they ought to declare him so; if they 
thought him guilty, they ought to bring him to the bar of 
the House of Lords, and put him on his trial. It would not 
be unusual for the House to bear in mind, that there were 
two distinct subjects for their consideration; in the first 
place, the question of the guilt or innocence of His Royal 
Highness; in the second, the course of proceeding which 
must ensue. The first subject was a judicial examination ; 
and the determination of it must depend on an accurate and 
careful examination of the evidence that had been received 
upon it. The existence of corrupt practices must unquestion- 
ably be admitted to the honourable gentleman : — the only 
question was, whether His Royal Highness allowed Mrs. 



?2 

Clarke to use her influence with him corruplly .* I'ndoubU 
edly, if Mrs (Clarke's evidence was io be believed, then- 
could be no question whatever. The case was fully esta- 
blished with all its aggravations* It was not neglect or con- 
nivance, but original sin in His Royal Highness, which Mrs. 
Clarke's testimony went to establish; for she declared, that 
when she was distressed, [lis Royal Highness told her, her 
power was greater than that of the Queen, and that, if she 
was a clever woman, she would not trouble him for money * 
It was to be observed, that Mrs. Clarke made this statement 
but once. She never ventured to repeat it, although she de- 
clared that she had frequently, when under pecuniary em- 
barrassment, applied to His Royal Highness for relief. But 
was it possible for a moment to contend* that the simple, 
unsupported, uncorroborated* testimony of Mrs. Clarke her- 
self, with respect io this supposed declaration of the Duke of 
York's, should establish its authenticity ? Certainly not. 
The House would assuredly demand some additional autho- 
rity. During the whole of his legal experience, he had 
never seen a witness, who, from her story, from her charac- 
ter, and from her conduct at the bar* was less entitled to 
credit than Mrs. Clarke. He could not, therefore, but be 
astonished at the statement made by the noble lord opposite, 
that he was convinced there was not one word in that indivi* 
dual's testimony which was not the truth* 

Lord Folkstone spoke to order. He requested the right 
honourable gentleman would represent what he had said cor* 
rectly. 

The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied at great length. 

On Monday, March 13th, the Secretary at Y\ r ar resumed 
the adjourned debate: he objected to the last amendment. 
lie could not be brought to think that the Duke of York had 
the slightest suspicion of the corrupt transactions which had 
been proved to have taken place. There was no evidence 
who spoke positively and directly to the Duke's being privy 
to them but Mrs. Clarke, and, as to her, by far the great 
majority of that House did not think Mrs. Clarke worthy of 
credit at all. (A cry of no, no!) He must repeat that the 
general sentiment in that House was, that no reliance what- 
ever ought to be placed on her testimony. (Repeated cries 
of no ! no! no!) 

He was most ably answered by Sir Francis Burdett, when, 
among other things, he spoke of the Duke's transactions with 
one Kennett, Esq. who had stood in the pillory, and observed,- 
that this circumstance shewed that the Duke of York wa# 
capable of recommending* a worthless character to a place 



73 

under Government, in hopes of obtaining the loan of a large 
sum of money for it. Do you not call this corruption ? Cor- 
ruption and money are said to be synonimous terms ; and 
because the Duke had not received the money in hand, the 
Chancellor of the Exchequer argued, that therefore there was 
no corruption, and that there never was a period when cor- 
ruption existed less than at present. I should not be sur- 
prised to find that he thinks he has got the golden age in the 
fall of man, or that Paradise is now regained. "Your mili- 
tary establishments are every where increased, and places arc 
now disposed of in every quarter of the world, at a time when' 
the people were never so oppressed, when every man is look- 
ing to ruin, by the grievous tax af 10 per cent, upon his in- 
come. Is this the mode by which the Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer proposed to induce industry, or reward merit ? Al- 
though the corruption of tjie present day did not resemble 
that of former times, when 5001. would be offered to mem- 
bers in the lobby of the House; or when invited to dine n f 
your table, each individual would find a large sum of money 
under his plate: I wish there were, at the 'present .day, no 
other speeies of corruption in existence, than that open way 
of accepting- the bribe; font, unfortunately, corruption is 
now offered secretly, and so concealed, that the man who is 
thought to be one that would be ashamed to receive if, is he 
who lias it secretly oiiered to him, and who secret! v receives 
it. 

How could it come to pass that this Royal Duke could 
feel himself in a situation to have recourse to such unworthy 
means, when it is well known he enjoys more than any one 
of the Royal Family J This surely gives force to tha testi- 
mony, which is complete without it, 'whether you take: the 
positive or the circumstantial evidence. The documents are 
of themselves convincing to every mind. The legal gentle- 
men see nothing at all in all this ; but when I look to their 
former conduct in courts, I know not what object can actuate 
them to argue thus ; for when the blood of mam, the lives, the 
fortunes, and all that is dear to a family, are concerned, what 
is the language we hear? Have we not seen common spies 
ami informers, wretches whose oaths should not pass for a 
groat, brought forward in courts of Law to take away the- 
lives of their fellow -creatures ? Juries in former times would 
be liable to be attainted if they rejected such strong positive 
or circumstantial evidence as that now oiiered to this House. 
Since the famous exclusion bill of the Duke of York, after- 
wards James IE there has not been such an important ease 
brought before Parliament to be decided upon justice alone. 
However high the rank of the accused is, it is but a small 

L 



74 

ronsrderation on my mind*, for the ease is the justice of Hol- 
land. — -(Jlear! hear! hear!) The Commander- in-chief 
has offered the honour of a prince; but I beg leave to state, 
that the honour of the Kingj the honour of the Grown, the 
fountain of Justice, is at stake ; ami these are not. to be turned 
aside by that which is now offered to your notice. Unfor- 
tunately, upon this subject of honour, there is alwnys a con- 
trast; I would wish you to put in Opposition to it the honour 
of that witness, who has been painted in snch infamous co- 
lours at your bar, every effort to discredit whom has always 
redounded to the confusion of those who brought it forward. 
Mr. Few, a witness* has proved to you, that having sued 
Mrs. Clarke for a debt, which she succeeded in resisting, this 
woman, who has been styled so revengeful, nevertheless, 
thought proper most honourably to pay him. That is an 
act of honour which, in my mind, surpasses that of the Duke 
of York. Those gentlemen who advocated his cause, have 
called in tlie last resource, which is the appeal in a desperate 
cause; they have called witnesses to speak to the general 
character of the Duke of York. In that respect, too, I be- 
lieve, he will be found as deficient as in any other point of 
view. In short, his Royal Highness's honour rises out of this 
discussion like Banquets ghost, 

* v With twenty mortal gashes on his head, 
M To push us from our stools." 

It is impossible, sir, that, under all the circumstances of 
this case, the Duke of York can retain the situation he now 
holds at the head of the army; (Hear! hear! hear!) for I 
have nothing to do with what may be the consequence of this 
question being so decided, as it is only to be determined by 
the evidence before you. We must come to such a vole, Let 
the consequence be what it may, with no other consideration 
but that of justice alone. 

Sir Samuel Rom illy spoke and voted on the same side with 
Sir Francis Bnrdett. 

At length, on Wednesday, March 15, after another tedi- 
ous altercation, Mr. Canning rose, amidst loud cries of 
Question! lie strongly objected to the compromise of opi- 
nions on this subject, and was astonished that his honourable 
friend (Mr. Wilbcrforce), of all men, should have proposed 
snch a thing, considering how little he had practised the tac- 
tics of Parliament. The House ought to come to a specific 
decision on the charge of corruption. His honourable friend 
had Raid that he was not prepared to say that the Duke had 
connived — (No, no, from Mr. Wilhcrjoiee). Then he was 
prepared to say so (No, no). Then lie was not prepared lo 



say an}- thing on the subject (<a loud laugh) . And this was 
the result of six days 1 debate. He felt deeply on the point of 
morals, but he doubted whether it was a subjeet proper for 
this House to take up. He denied that the House was dis- 
posed to interpose a shield between his Royal Highness and 
conviction, merely on account of his illustrious descent; but 
he hoped the consideration of his rank would not operate 
against him. He affirmed, that if the address of Mr. War- 
die was carried, corruption would appear on the record; 
and, therefore, justice to the illustrious Duke required that 
the House should, in the first instance, decide on the charge 
of corruption. 

The plan proposed on the ether side was of the same na- 
ture as if a judge should say to a jury, " Gentlemen, whether 
the prisoner is guilty of this or that, 1 know not; but that is 
not the question for you to decide : you are to consider w -ne- 
ther, from other circumstances, it may not be prudent to 
have him hanged. 1 ' (a kiugh). 

At last, on a division, the numbers were — 

For Mr. Banks's amendment « - - - 1 99 

Against it - - - - - 294 

Majority against the amendment - - - — -95 

A second division afterwards took place on Mr. Perce vaFs 
amendment on Mr. Wardle s address. 

For the amendment ------- 36& 

For the original motion ------ W3 

Majority in favour of the Duke of York - - — 24 £ 

On Friday, March I7, as it had been decided before, that 
the House should proceed by voting resolutions rather than 
an address, General Furguson rose, and, amidst a marked 
attention, spoke nearly to the following effect; — After the 
able and ample manner in which the present business 
has been already discussed, I am most unwilling io tres- 
pass on the patience of the House ; but the peculiarity of 
my situation will, I trust, plead my excuse, and gain me 
your indulgence, while I state shortly what I have felt sen- 
sibly upon the present most important question. (Hear! 
JJiar!) Jt gives me great satisfaction to hear that the army 
has been in such a state of progressive improvement since 
His Royal Highness the Duke of York assumed the chijf 
command, and I am glad to bear testimony to the many- wise 
and salutary regulations which have been introduced into 
the army under the auspices of the Commander-in-chief, 
I shall, at all times, have great pleasure in joining in all 
encomiums paid to that royal person, as far as I believe such 



76 

encomiums to be just and merited. Tins is as much my 
duty, as it is my inclination, for 1 am among the many 
who haw ixv.son to be thankful to His Royal Highness for 
personal favours, artel lor more than a merited portion of 
Ids consideration, and therefore it v.' as with deep and heart- 
iMf regret that I was compelled to think of him, as I must 
have thought, when 1 voted as i did vote. But, sir, all 
such considerations must necessarily yield to that imperious 
sense of public duty, which, in this place, is our first duty. 
(/J ear! II car I) Deciding as 1 have done, so opposite to 
my original wishes, and, what adds to my regret, so oppo- 
site to the sentiments of my brother oflicers, I have, how- 
ever, not decided hastily. I have read the evidence with 
circ, with an anxious wish to come at the truth,* lie where 
or a*, dnst whom it may. I have weighed it with mat ure de- 
li 1 . <: at ion — listened to the long and various commentaries 
u;v!> it #|th attention, and trust I may now venture to say, 
that I have decided with impartiality. It is not my inten- 
tion, sir, to offer any observation now upon that evidence, 
it has been already in too able hands to leave any thing for 
me to say, but the impression it has made on my mind is, 
that the Duke of York is extremely culpable. Throughout 
the country a cloud of suspicion has been collecting, and it 
has settled upon his character; while that cloud remains, 
until it has been dispelled, my opinion is, that it is not for 
the honour of the army, that the chief command should 
remain in the hands of the Duke of York. (Hear! hear! 
hear!) 

At length the House divided; first, on Sir Thomas Tur- 
ton's amendment, on which the numbers were — 

For the amendment - - - - 13.5 
Against it------- 33& 



Majority against the amendment - - 199 

The House again divided on Mr. Perceval's original mo- 
lion — 

Ayes - 278 

Noes 196 



Majority in favour of M r. Perceval's motion 82 
Adjourned at Halt-past Fouu o'Clock. 

On Monday, March 20th, the Order of the Day for re- 
gaming (lie adjourned debate having been read, and, to su- 
persede the necessity of the motion proposed by Mr. Ba- 
1 hurst, the Chancellor of the. Exchequer was pleased to an- 



77 

nounce the Duke of York's resignation. He said, that be- 
fore the House proceeded to renew the debate, he would beg 
leave to take that opportunity of making to them a commu- 
nication which Ms right honourable friend (Mr. Bath urst) 
might think with him was of a nature that rendered further 
proceeding unnecessary. He had then to state, that on last 
Saturday morning, March IS, after the decision of the 
House had been known, His Royal Highness the Duke of 
York, of his own immediate and spontaneous motion, waited 
upon His Majesty, and tendered to him his resignation of 
the chief command of His Majesty's army; and that His 
Majesty had been graciously pleased to accept of that resig- 
nation ; the motives which evidently influenced the mind 
of His Royal Highness in taking that step appeared to him, 
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to be of a nature so ho- 
nourable and proper, that he was sure, when he had stated 
them to the House, the House would think of them as he 
-did. The right honourable gentleman then proceeded to 
read, from a paper he held in his hand, extracts, of which 
the following is a copy : — 

" The House having, after a most attentive and laborious 
investigation of the merits of certain allegations preferred 
against His Royal Highness, passed a resolution of his in- 
nocence, he may now approach His Majesty, and may ven- 
ture to tender him his resignation of the chief command of 
His Majesty's army, as Kis Royal Highness can no longer 
be suspected of acting from any apprehension of the result, 
nor be accused of having shrunk from the fall extent of sax 
inquiry, which, painful as it has been, he trusts shall ap- 
pear, even to those who have been disposed to condemn his 
conduct, to have met with that patience and firmness which 
can arise only from a conscious feeling of innocence. 

M The motive which influences him arises from the truest 
sense of duly, and the warmest attachment to His Majesty, 
from which lie has never departed, and which His Majesty 
has, if possible, confirmed by the affectionate and paternal 
solicitude which he has shewn for the honour and welfare of 
His Royal Highness upon this distressing occasion ; to h\m, 
as a most kind and indulgent father, as a generous Sovereign, 
His Royal Highness owes every tiling ; and his feelings 
alone would have prompted him to forego all considerations 
of personal interest in the determination he had taken. It 
would not become him to say, that he should not quit, 
with sincere regret, a situation iu which His Majesty's con- 
fidence and partiality had placed him, and the duties of 
which it had been his most anxious study and pride, during 
fourteen years, to discharge with integrity and fidelity-— 
whether he might be allowed to add, with advantage to His 
Majesty's service, His Majesty was best able to decide." 



78 

NThc rigbl honourable gentleman then said, that he had 
made this communication, and left it to the House without 
a. comment. Whether the communication of such an im- 
portant fact dill not render any further proceeding unneces- 
sary, he left it to his right honourable friend to determine. 

Mr. Rragge Hat hurst agreed with his right honourable 
friend, that he had indeed communicated to the House a 
most important fact, but if he did not think that it ought to 
supersede the necessity of the resolution he intended to pro- 
pose, he trusted that the House would do him the justice to 
believe, that nothing but an imperious sense of public duty 
could, after what had passed, induce him to withhold his 
assent to the proposition made by his right honourable friend, 
and in the first place he admitted that the army had sus- 
tained a loss by the removal of His Royal Highness. There 
was nobody more disposed than he was to do justice to the 
many wise and salutary regulations introduced into the regu- 
lation of the army, under the authority of His Royal High- 
ness, and he did think that the elevated rank of that illus- 
trious person gave a weight and authority to the regulations 
introduced by him, which he apprehended would not be so 
decisive when the army should devolve to a simple Com- 
moner. He must tlierefore regret sincerly, that circuits 
stances had arisen which could have induced the Duke of 
YoFk to retire from a situation, he in many respects so 
ably filled. Rut with respect to the propriety or impro- 
priety of his now moving the resolution it was his ob- 
ject to move, he must be permitted to say, that when he first 
proposed that resolution, it stood upon grounds quite inde* 
pendent of the transaction which had been just communis 
cated to the House; and, therefore, he could not see how it 
could be made out, that, because that transaction had taken 
place, the necessity of his resolution was done away with. 

And here, he said, it was not unworthy of remark, that, 
in the letter of His Royal Highness to the Speaker, where, 
in describing the origin of that connection, His Royal 
Highness expresses his regret that that connection had ever 
existed, his regret is not founded upon any general bad con- 
sequences resulting from it to the public, but rather of the 
personal consequences resulting to himself; and in the amend- 
ment proposed by his honourable frisnd (Mr. Ranks) the uiu 
due interference was not mentioned as a consequence result- 
ing from that immoral connection : and if that was not. taken 
notice of, it would appear that the House had not done all 
that remained for J hem to do : for hitherto there appeared 
upon their Journals the minutes of the general evidence, 
the Letter of the Duke of York, the resolutions as to the 



79 

charges of corruption, connivance, and negligence, as to im- 
morality ; but there had not been as yet any thing specific 
entered as to the bad consequence of undue interference, 
which was recorded in the minutes, proved by the docu- 
ments, and resulting from that immoral connection— so he 
hoped that his resolution would not be met by moving the 
previous question. His motion had in view two objects, ad- 
monition to the Duke of York, and example to the country; 
and while he thought that the country would, upon reflec- 
tion, approve of the conduct of that House in acquitting the 
Duke of York of corruption, he at the same time was of opi- 
nion, that the sound part of the community would expect 
the House to come to a decision upon the resolution he 
should now put into the hands of the Speaker. The right 
honourable gentleman then concluded with moving the fol- 
lowing resolution: — 

" That while this House acknowledges the beneficent ef- 
fect of the regulations adopted and acted upon by His Royal 
Highness in the general discharge of his duties as Com- 
mander-in-chief, it is observed with the deepest regret that, 
in consequence of a connection the most immoral and unbe- 
coming, a communication of official subjects, and an inter- 
ference in the distribution of military appointments and pro- 
motions, has been allowed to exist, which could not but 
lead to discredit the official administration of His Royal 
Highness, and to give colour and effect, as they have actu- 
ally done, to transactions the most criminal and disgaceful." 

Sir William Curtis seconded the motion. 

Lord Temple observed, that as report had gone abroad 
that the Duke of York had resigned, he had not intended to 
trouble the House; conceiving that, after the resignation, 
there was no occasion for going any farther into the evi- 
dence, as far as respected the Duke of York. But the words 
which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had quoted as those 
of the Duke of York, rendered it impossible for him not to 
state the grounds on which he would now support his ho- 
notiralric friend's amendment. He could not but regret that 
a private letter of the Duke of York had been brought for- 
ward as a ground to justify his public conduct. The Chan- 
cellor of the Exchequer had stated, as the words of the Duke 
of York, that he had resigned when the House had arriv- 
ed at the period when his innocence had been declared 
(Hear! hear! hear! J. He(LordT.)had entertained, and did 
still entertain, a strong opinion of the Duke of York, as far 
as corruption was concerned ; but lie protested against the 
general assertion of, his innocence (Hear! hear! hear!.). 
His Lordship, while he acquitted die Duke of Vork of cor- 



80 

ruption, could not bat think him highly censurable for per- 
mitting the interference of Mrs. Clarke, and, at her recom- 
mendation, endeavouring' to bring unworthy persons into re- 
sponsible situations. Till the House had pronounced his 
innocence on these points, it was too much to come forward 
with a general assertion of innocence; and he protested against 
it — (loud 1 cries of hear I hear ! hear!). 

His Royal Highness had said, that he did not resign from 
tiny dread of the discussion in that House. He thought 
ministers would have better advised him, if he had said, that 
he had resigned out of submission to that House, and because 
he bowed to its opinion. As they had acquitted him of cor- 
ruption, which was the most serious part of the charge and 
of which a conviction would have been more fatal than 
death, he ought to have said, that after that he withdrew, 
not because they had perfectly cleared him, but he felt a re- 
spect fulsubmiss ion to the opinion of the country. Believ- 
ing that there was no ground to convict His Royal Highness 
«f corruption, or connivance at corruption, he thought it too 
much to say, that he was wholly innocent. The resolution, 
if it had come forward before, would not have gone far 
enough — now it went too far. He would, therefore, vote for 
the amendment. As to the word ?iow, he did not understand 
it as a perpetual exclusion; for, as His Royal Highness had 
resigned, he thought that would be going too far. 

Mr. Whitbread rose and observed, that he could not help 
explaining, in as few words as he could, the grounds on 
which he would vote for the amendment, proposed by his 
noble friend. behind him, in a speech devoid of affectation 
and full of ability. (Hear! hear! hear!). But even, if 
that amendment had not been submitted to the House, he 
could not have voted for th^ resolution of the right honour- 
able gentleman below (Balhurst). The resolution expressed, 
" That improper interference had been allowed to exist by 
the Duke of York." Now, if such a resolution was placed 
on the Journals of the House, there could be no doubt that 
it would exclude the Duke of York from office for ever. It 
was also stated, that the interference of Mrs. Clarke had a 
tendency to discredit the official administration of the Duke 
of York, and to give countenance to very improper transac- 
tions, as had actually been the case. (Hear! hear! hear!). 
After the passing such a resolution, he could not imagine it 
possible, how the Duke of York could have continued an 
hour longer in office. 

He also observed that, if the Duke of York had resigned 
previous to the close of the inquiry, then he should have 
thought, that the House ought to have come to a distinct 



81 

resolution on the point of corruption, because it might then 
have been thought necessary to have adopted some farther 
proceeding; but when the question came to a point of in- 
fluence, the resignation was fully sufficient to do away any 
necessity for censure, for the individual was out of office; 
his continuance in which alone could have rendered it dan- 
gerous, or a proper subject for tiie cognizance of the House. 
The worthy baronets, members for the city of London, had, 
therefore, come a day after the fair. (Jlear! hear!). Now, 
when His Royal Highness had resigned, they had come run- 
ning and out of breath to express their willingness to vote 
against the Duke of York. " See now," they said, " only 
now observe, how ready we are to vote against His Royal 
High&ess;"-' They could not touch the Duke of York while, 
politically speaking, he was living; but they were the first 
to pounce upon the dead carcase. (A roar of laughter.) 

The word now, which had been so much objected to, Mr. 
W. thought it essentially necessary in the amendment of his 
noble friend. Some might, perhaps, suppose that this word 
might have a reference to the exclusion of His Royal High- 
ness from the throne — he did not say, that that actually was 
the opinion of any one, but it might be so ; and, therefore, 
he observed, that exclusion from the throne was totally out 
of the question. It was by much too serious a subject to be 
at all taken, upon the present occasion ; and he was sorry, 
that it had been at ail alluded to. But the word novo did 
not mean a perpetual exclusion from office; though, if it 
were understood, that it was in the contemplation of any 
minister to restore His Royal Highness to his command, the 
country would think, and justly think, that the result of this 
inquiry had been nothing at all to the purpose: nothing 
that could possibly satisfy them; nothing with which they 
ought to be satisfied, lie did certainly think it nearly im f 
possible, that the Duke of York should he restored to his 
situation. But, as he had not the power of looking into 
futurity, it was impossible for him to say, that circumstances 
could not occur in which such a resumption might be pro- 

The right honourable gentleman, Mr. TV ilberforcc, had talk- 
ed of {he absence of party spirit on this occasion, and yet 
the gentleman on the opposite side had accused those who sat 
beside him of party motives on this proceeding: now, if 
ever (here was any thing from which party all along had been 
excluded, if, was this. The honourable gentleman who 
brought forward the charges had stood alone: he had con- 
certed nothing with any party, either with the party oppo- 
site., that of his honourable friends near b;m # or a third parly, 

M 



S2 

•which might be so called, as they ruled generally in a body, 
and were distinguished by a term wliicli lie would not me:>- 
tion (the Saints perhaps). And yet the honourable gentle- 
man had 135 members with him on the address which lie ori- 
ginally proposed. There was a party, the annihilation of 
which, he hoped, would be among the salutary cilects ot ih is 
inquiry ; a party which was not known by the constitution, 
which Lord Chatham characterised as a party behind the 
Throne, which was greater than the Throne itself; a parly 
which had been audaciously published, as existing last sum- 
mer, without prosecution having taken place in consequence ; 
a party which was not new in our days, as it had existed iorty 
years. (Loud cries of hear, hear!) He hoped that party 
would be extinguished. If proceedings were instituted 
against any of those publications which had animadverted on 
the conduct of the Duke of York, he hoped the publication 
he alluded to would not escape, for it was one of the foulest 
libels upon His Royal Highness that ever had, or could pos- 
sibly exist. (Hear, hear, hear!) lie hoped other Princes 
would beware of such parties; to take care that they should 
not be allowed to form, or subvert administrations at their 
pleasure. If the gentlemen opposite owed their official situa- 
tions to such a party, he hoped that, seeing the consequences 
to which such intrigues led, they would put it down, and 
thus afford some compensation to their country. The exist- 
ence of this secret cabinet was no new thing in our history. 
It had been found out by Sir William Temple, in the reign of 
Charles the Second ; and Sir AV illiamthen told him the con- 
sequences that would result from it ; he told him that it was 
unknown to the constitution ; that it ought not to exist ; and 
that if it was allowed to continue, it would work the over- 
throw of his Majesty's family and crown. (Loud cries of 
hear, hear!) 

At last, after some conversation about a club of military 
officers who had joined to support the Duke, Mr. Perceval 
moved, as an amendment, that the word t; )ioiQ n be omitted. 

On this the House divided, 

For Mr. Perceval's amendment - - - - l J35 
Against it 112 



Majority for omitting the word "now" - - \2o 

Strangers were not re-admitted after the division, but se- 
veral notices were given. 

Lord Folkstone tixed the 17th April next, for further in- 
quiry into the Minutes of evidence on the case of the late 
Commander-in-chief. His Lordship also gave notice of his 



83 

intention, within a few days, to move that such letters as 
had no reference to the late proceedings, and which had 
been scaled up by the different committees, should be re- 
turned to Mrs. Clarke, and the other persons to whom they 
were addressed. 

Thus, it has been observed,, terminated cc a discussion which 
has no parallel in history. There is but one instance upon 
record of an adjourned debate for three successive days, and 
this was at the Revolution of 16S8, when the crozvn was 
transferred by a majority of one to the Prince of Orange." 

It is not to be supposed, that the resignation of the Com- 
mander-in-chief can possibly put a stop to the spirit of pa- 
triotism and inquiry which has gone forth on this occasion. 
It is not too much to say, that, notwithstanding the present 
inquiry is closed, all eyes, as it were, remain fixed upon 
}]js. Clarke, Mr. Ward le, and his friends; while their ene- 
mies have scarcely a single advocate all over the kingdom. 
Tiie outrages committed upon the public purse and upon the 
public feeling, have been too daring to be easily forgotten. 
-Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke, although she has changed her 
splendid residence in Gloucester-place, for a more humble 
dwelling in West bourne-place, Chelsea, is still regarded as 
the original occasion of the good that has already resulted to 
the public. Much to Mrs. Clarke's credit, she has long 
supported an aged mother: her children, two girls and a 
boy, are still living; they have also been provided for by 
their mother, whose means for continuing this care, will no 
doubt be increased by the additional eclat which she has ac- 
quired. 

Colonel Wardle, who has so justly partaken of the public 
approbation, as a parliamentary man has been hitherto ra- 
ther obscure He is a native of Cheshire, and possesses a 
considerable fortune. Daring the insurrection in Ireland, he 
served as Lieutenant-Colonel in the regiment under Sir Wat- 
kin Williams Wynne. In fact, he was only returned to Par- 
liament for the Borough of Oakham pton, in 1807. Thus, 
though a stripling in the war of words, yat^ excepting Sir 
Francis Burdett and his few friends, Colonel Wardle has 
done more towards bringing down the Goliath of Corruption, 
than all the rest of the parliamentary phelanx joined to- 
gether. 

Cnder the impression of facts like these, it is not surpris- 
ing that public meetings at Canterbury, Liverpool, Roches- 
ter, the cities of London, Westminster, &c. &c. have been 
called to return their thanks to Mr. Wardle and his friends, 
for their parliamentary conduct, and to vote him the freedom 



31 

of tlnir respective corporations. Neither great names, nor 
even Court influence, have hitherto been able to repress the 
sentiments of disapprobation of the conduct of a supposed 
delinquent. A lady of the Queen's bed-chamber even ven- 
tured to express an opinion upon this head, and thus forfeited 
her situation, when it was intimated to her, that her services 
could bte dispensed with. Iler lord also resigned his ollice in 
the Palace Royal. And it iseven whispered, that some com- 
manders of volunteer corps in Kent, have been given to un- 
derstand, that voting thanks to Mr. Ward le and his friends 
is looked upon, at a certain place, as a very unthankful 
office. 

Even the theatre, hackneyed in the strains of adulation, lias, 
in ihc present instance, avowed the general sense of the peo- 
ple in opposition to court parasites ; for, on Monday, March 
i?0, when the Honey Moon was acted at the Opera Mouse, in 
the llaymarket, for the benefit of the Drury-Lane Performers, 
when Penley, in the Mock Duke, spoke his soliloquy, and, 
when meditating upon his short-lived elevation, he said, i% It 
vMl be rather awkward to be sure, to resign at the end of a 
month ; but, like oilier great men in office, I must make the 
most of my time, and retire with a good grace, to avoid 
being turned out." — The audience instantly applied the cir- 
cumstance, and an enthusiasm of applause burst from every 
j>a it of the house : the reiterated clapping produced a uni- 
versal acclamation, which was some time before it; subsided, 
or even gave the performer an opportunity to finish the sen- 
tence, which runs thus, " as a well-bred dog always walks 
a'oicn stairs, when he sees preparations on foot for kicking 
him into the street." Here the applause was revived, and 
continued for some minutes. Mrs. Clarke, it is understood, 
happened to be a spectator in one of the boxes. 

JJut as the proceedings of the truly independent Electors 
of Westminster, and I tie Livery of London, have evinced 
an an common degree of public spirit, it may not be impro- 
per to close with some account of the proceedings at West- 
minster. 

The Westminster Meeting was convened by Arthur Morris, 
Esq. the High Bailiff of Westminster; and took place in 
'Westminster-hall, on Wednesday, March 29, when, after 
Mr. Sturch, Mr. Wishart, &e. had delivered their senti- 
ments, Sir Eraneiss Hurdett spoke as follows: 

^Gentlemen Electors of the City of Westminster — -This 
is the fir>t opportunity I have had since you did me the ho- 
nour of returning me as your Representative in Parliament, 
of acknowledging my deep sense of the obligation, and ex- 
pressing my* gratitude for the favour so conferred*. It is not 



85 

my intention to detain you long upon this subject, or enter 
into any laboured exposition of my feelings ; I will say no 
more than simply to express my thanks, lest, by the very 
effort to detail, I should render myscif liable to the suspicion 
of wanting gratitude. ([J ear! hear! hear!) Gentlemen, 
the Resolutions that have been proposed to you are so appli- 
cable to the subject to which they are directed, that I can- 
not suppose any gentleman present is prepared to object to 
them ; but at the same time that I agree in their general spi- 
rit, and am willing to give my applause to the patriotism 
that dictated and produced them, I might, perhaps, take 
some objection to a particular part — the part in which my 
name is mentioned in terms of such flattering approbation. 
My desert lias not been greater than that of others; whatever 
thanks I may be thought to have merited, in consequence of 
the conduct which I pursued in the late inquiry; they are 
thanks which I have earned in common with many, and 
cannot, of course, be considered as peculiarly appropriate to 
myself. That Colonel Wardte tuts deserved the distinction 
with which you have honoured htm, that he has established 
a peculiar claim to the gratitude you have assembled to ex- 
press towards him, his conduct has fully shewn ; for, 1 do 
not hesitate to declare, that, out of all the members who re- 
present this country in Parliament, there is not one, in my 
opinion, who would have done as he did ; and, under all the 
circumstances of the case, and under all its difficulties, op- 
posed himself to the authority he has opposed — (Hear! 
hear! hear! ) I will abstain from speaking of him any fur- 
ther than while I offer this tribute of my applause, and ex- 
press my happiness and my pride at being coupled with him 
in this Resolution. 

The House of Commons, as it stands at present, is full of 
faults: instead of shewing a proper sentiment of respect for 
the people of England, it treats them with contumely. I can 
state, from my own experience, thai there is not a sentiment 
so popular in that House as a sentiment of disrespect towards 
the people. (Applause.) Such is the feeling there, and I 
believe only there — there is not another spot in the world 
where the opinion is entertained. In foreign countries they do 
you justice ; they couple the name of Englishman with high 
• notions of liberty, strong principles of honour, and sublime 
ideas of virtue; but in the House of Commons tbey would 
wish to reverse the character; they would wish to substitute 
you, elevated with degraded distinctions; and instead of re- 
•presenting you as you are, represent you as you ought not 
To be. H this docs not convince you of the necessity of 
Parliamentary iidunn, nothing that i can say will impros it 



36 

upon your understandings. There was another old Bill in 
this land, which has shared the same fife as the former, Mag- 
na (Inula. Tliat loo is become obsolete ; at all events it is 
never quoted in the Courts of Law. (Applauses.) My that. 
there was a security Tor a man's property and person, but 
the security is now done away in the neglect to which it is 
abandoned. Those bills have now lost their effect, or, if 
they possess any, it u that of reminding us of the height 
from which we have fallen, and inculcating upon us the ex- 
pediency of imitating that conduct from which we have de- 
generated. (foi(d Applauses.) This consideration must 
prove to you, that an honest Parliament is wanting — a Par- 
liament composed of individuals, who shall look not for 
place but to the people; and who, instead of scrambling for 
private advantages, shall apply themselves to the care of such 
as are public and universal. 

There is one circumstance, Gentlemen, on which J will 
beg to oiler a lew remarks, the more so, as it has met with an 
applause to which i think it is not entitled : I mean the cir- 
cumstance of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of this country 
turning farmers ; by such a practice, the country is abandoned 
by its natural protectors. The Noblemen and Gentlemen at- 
tend meetings, it is true ; but t lien they are not meetings upon 
public business, directed to the investigation of public mea- 
Mircs, and the support of the public cause ; they are not in- 
tended to ascertain who has acted most ably and honestly for 
the nation, but who has succeeded in producing the fattest 
sheep and the fattest oxen. (A laugh.) I would call upon 
those who give th em-elves up to such pursuits, to consider 
how dangerous it is to teach the people not to look to them 
for redress ; J would call upon them to consider the example 
of France, and profit 1>y the contemplation of a possible con- 
tingency : if better provision be not made for the defence of 
the country ; if they persist in confining themselves to such 
exclusive pursuits, they may expect to see GeneralJunot come 
amongst them ; perhaps he might not continue them in the 
occupation to which they are at present so much attached, 
but doubtless he would be highly pleased with their agricul- 
tural improvements. — (A laugh.) it is necessary ; to guard 
against corruption in 1 his country, corruption from which 
v.e bttvc suffered so much, and aredaily suffering 1 ; corruption, 
in respect of which, we are like the fabled Prometheus, with 
a vulture preying upon his liver : it destroys us, and returns 
tp destroy* Without a just representation, the constitution 
i-- nothing Wc he;*: much of its beauty, even at present; 
but when we examine,., we find it good to look at, but 
too good to adopt, too good to be practically beneficial. It 



8 



I were to go through all the abuses (hat have been introduced 
of late, it would take me a week for the enumeration ; you 
know that you have tax-gat herers, vested with unconstitu- 
tional powers; you know that you have Exchequer laws, 
strained into rigorous excess ; you know that in those cases 
'where a jury is most necessary, when the question with ic- 
spect to property lies between the Crown and the subject, that 
advantage is denied ; you know that the land is swarming with 
the instruments of these arbitrary regulations ; they swarm, 
like insects on the banks of the Nile ; and, like those insects, 
they are the product of filth and corruption. Property 
should be protected • but, above all things, person should be 
rendered secure. What provision then have we now for the 
security of person ? The Habeas Corpus was transmitted to 
us by our ancestors; but that, like other bulwarks, is done 
away, and has become a dead letter iji the Constitution. 
Need f mention the scandalous and cruel imprisonments that 
have taken place? Need I mention the scandalous and cruel 
sentences that have been passed : Need I ask why a man 
should be tried here, and confined in Dorchester ? (Applause ) 
Or need I reprehend the practice of solitary confinement? 
A practice, the date of whose introduction should stand ever 
accursed in the calendar. Need I mention these abuses, or are 
they not evident to your own judgment, and being so, is it 
necessary for me to tell you that it is not to a Bill you are to 
look for relief, but to an honest House of Commons ? — (Loud 
applauses.) 

hi the present state of the country, destitute of a House of 
Commons constituted upon true principles, the country is like 
a machine without a director ; it is like a ship without a helm, 
struggling against adverse waves; it must be blown about 
with violence, for that efficient instrument is wanting, which 
would have given steadiness to its course, and certainty to its 
direction. I spoke of unjust imprisonments. Jam willing 
to exemplify what I said. I will quote an instance, the sub- 
ject of which is, perhaps, at present in the Hall: 1 allude to 
the case of Mr. Le Maitre; he was a youth of about seven- 
teen at the time that an accusation was brought against him 
of intending to assassinate the King; lie was to have blown 
poison through a glass tube into his ear : but the circumstance 
is better known by the name of the pop-gun plot, which 
perhaps, you all remember : on this charge he was taken up, 
and confined for the space of seven years, and was never 
brought to trial. (Hear, hear!) I repeat it, it is not bills 
that will remedy such evils as these, it is only an honest 
House of Commons ; if the root be rotten, the branches will 
bear no fruit 5 but the tree of corrurrtion is so luxuriant, that 



8S 

even those who partake of it arc willing to prune its brandies ; 
a remedy that will only make it sprout the more. If we 
would effectually destroy it, we must lay the axe to the root, 
Tbe alternative is come to this, we must destroy corruption, 
or corruption will destroy the country. This nation, like 
those of the Continent, must lie prostrate beneath a con- 
queror, or rid itself of these domestic spoilers, and then en- 
counter the foreign enemy without fear. This is the time to 
make use of Colonel Wardle's patriotism. If you are satis* 
fied with the bare privilege of assembling here, and saying 
how wrong you think the Duke of York has acted, without 
going any Farther, or wishing for any more, this country 
cannot be saved. There has been much talk of conspiracies, 
in which many characters have been involved ; even the ho- 
nourable Member, whose integrity and candour you have ap- 
proved, was accused of conspiracy in this business ; no soon- 
er had he brought forward his charges, than he was branded 
as a conspirator — an accusation, which, if it proved any 
thing, proved only the folly of those who made it. Up to 
the time of the inquiry, Mr. Wardle preserved a good 
character ; there was nothing detected in his conduct to sink 
him in the esteem and opinion of mankind ; but no sooner did 
he undertake to accuse the Duke of York, than his character 
became tarnished, his reputation was lost, and, I fear, that, 
at the present moment, he is little better than one of us Jaco- 
bins. — {Applauses and laughter.) — A great deal has been 
said in the House of Commons about the necessity of guard? 
ing against popular influence ; but I challenge those who have 
such a dread of it, to point out in the map a single country 
that was lost, a single government that was overthrown by 
the means of ^>opular intluence ; no, it is the want of it has 
destroyed them ; it is their listening to other influence, and 
shutting their ears against that which ought to have predo- 
minated ; and if we are properly affected by their fate, we 
will listen to its voice, and obey its dictates. I will confess 
that when we are sitting as Judges, popular influence, like, 
every other influence, is bad ; and 1 would be as much 
ashamed of myself if I acted against my conscience, for fear 
of losing your good opinion, as if I was induced to the same 
dishonourable act, by a bribe, or any other species of cor- 
ruption : but in the present case I incur no risk ; myVoun- 
trymei? look for justice; they want to oppress or injure no 
man : their object is to have justice done, and done with an 
equal hand. {Applause) 

[{ tlie constitution of this country is to exist, at all, reform 
must be adopted. 1 hope no man is childish enough to ex- 
pect u:iy good from the present Administration, and their 



89 

feills for pi-eventing abuses. J do not want to turn them Out ; 
the placemen, I believe , will be satisfied with that admission. 
j do not think them so comparatively bad; they are, I be* 
lieve, as good a Ministry as ever we had, since the present 
king came to the throne; and^ therefore, I would let them 
continue; it is not their places I want to obtain, it is their 
principles I want to direct — I want them to do justice to the 
country »" (Loud and repeated applauses.) 

There Were upwards of three thousand persons present. 
The most perfect decorum was preserved throughout. On 
Sir Francis Burdett and Mr; "Whitbread's leaving the Hall, 
they were followed by the cheers of several persons to the 
King's Arms Hotel^ Palace-yard : on their arriving therej 
three distinct cheers Were given; 



The Meeting of the Livery of London at Guildhall, on 
Saturday the first of April, was one of the most important 
that has occurred for years past, and presented a strong, in- 
stance of the revival of true British spirit. The Lord 
Mayor, Flower^ who had refused to call this Common Hall 
till he was absolutely compelled to it; was received with 
hisses and groans from all quarters; and was not permitted 
to open the business of the meeting, which he attempted; 
as silence could not possibly be obtained till Mr. Waithmaii 
came forward, and was received with the most hearty and 
long-continued applause; 

After Mr. Waithmaii concluded his first speech j Mr. Al- 
derman Curtis and the Lord Mayor were again prevented 
from addressing the auditors by their continued hisses; 
groans, and the cry of off! off! Alderman Shaw and Sir 
Charles Price at length joined with Alderman Curtis in mak* 
ing a lame apology for their parliamentary conduct with 
respect to the Duke of York's connections with Mrs. Clarke. 

Mr. Edmund Quiii; Alderman Combe, and Mr. Miller, 
reprobated the parliamentary conduct of the three city mem- 
bers in very strong terms; and the Lord Mayor repeatedly 
refused to put one of the sixteen resolutions, which; he said, 
" was evidently meant to reflect upon his conduct, and like-: 
wise upon himself" This excited a general laugh, and a 
cry of Where's the distinction? 

After some farther observations the Lord Mayor stepped 
forward and said, that not from his own conviction, but 
for the peace and quiet of the City of London, he would 
put the vote of censure, upon himself, which was carried 
with about ten hands against it. The Lord Mayor himself 
declared, that it was carried in the affirmative. 

N 



90 

Ipon the motion of Mr. Quin, Seconded by Mr. Griffiths, 
the Thanks of the Meeting were unanimously voted to Mr. 
\V uithmim, for his conduct upon this occasion, and also the 
uniform tenor of his proceeding upon political transactions; 
after which the Meeting adjourned. 

The people remained without the Halt for some time, in 
order to salute Lord Folkstone, who was recognized in the 
gallery in the course of the debate. As soon as the noble 
Lord appeared, he was saluted by the warmest expressions 
of popular applause, which accompanied his lordship to 
the house of a friend of his in Cheapside. 

The resolutions passed on this occasion, are of that feature, 
that, if possible, they ought to be perpetuated in characters 
of adamant. It will be seen, that they strike at the root of 
all the evils which the country has long laboured under ; 
and from which, if it recovers, it will be owing, in a very 
great measure, to the recent discoveries so happily effected 
in consequence of the agency of Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke!!! 

Asa further proof of the impression, which the conduct 
of the Lord Mayor had made upon the public mind, not 
content with what had passed on Saturday at Guildhall, he 
was again assailed by the populace on Easter Monday, 
while he was getting into his coach to proceed to Christ- 
church, Newgate-street, to hear the Annual Sermon, and 
accompanied by the laughter, the loud groans, and hisses, 
of a great number of well-dressed people, all the way to the 
church ; a striking example this, and the effects it is still 
likely to produce, of outraging the common sense and feel- 
ings of an injured people, in favour of servile Courtiers, 
Contractors, Loan Jobbers, or any of the few, whose interests 
are in opposition to the country at large. 

The indignation of the populace against the Lord Mayor 
was again repeated on Easter Tuesday. In Newgate- street 
the pressure of the people was so great, that some windows 
were broken; and, added to their hisses and groans, it was 
even apprehended, that his lordship might be forcibly 
pulled out of the state-coach. The people would neither 
permit the band to play, nor the bells al Bow-church to ring 
as usual on these days. The Lord Mayor's Ball also, on 
Monday night,- was tar from exhibiting its usual shew and 
gaiety. The gentry, apparently apprehensive of the public 
displeasure, stole into the city, not in their own carriages, 
but mostly in hackney-coaches. As for the Lord Mayor, 
the " vigour beyond the law," which the people seemed 
willing to exercise upon his person, they probably thought 
was in some measure justified by his own conduct, in oblig- 
ing a print-seller near the xMansion House, to take all the 



91 

caricatures out of the window, which related to the Duke of 
York: but the consequence was, that a notice was stuck up 
in the same shop-window, stating, " that fhe Caricatures 
prohibited by the Lord Mayor from being exposed without. 
were to be seen xcithin" 

The reform thus commenced in the State by displacing 
the Commander-in-chief, may be said also to have begun in 
the Church. The Bishop of London has obliged the Rev. 
Mr. Glasse, a very grave personage, and heretofore connect- 
ed with the administration of the discipline upon naughty 
women, &c. in Cold Bath Fields prison, under Governor 
Aris, to resign a lucrative office, as secretary to a religious 
society, only for a little intriguing with a lady of the de- 
scription which he used to reform, for a little more profit in 
the Church. But, in fact, the fascinating Mrs. Clarke has 
so perplexed some of the wise heads of this nation with her 
influence, that, as Alderman Curtis said to the Livery on 
Saturday, he did not know how he voted. u It was a sort of 
parliamentary trick." The Livery of London, however, do 
not like these tricks ; for it was resolved, with only ten oppo- 
site hands out of five thousand, that the parliamentary pro- 
ceedings of three of the city members ought to be discoun- 
tenanced. 



As an additional proof of the superior sources from 
whence we have drawn our information, we shall only add 
Mrs. Clarke called on Sir Richard Phillips for the pur- 
pose of making some arrangement respecting the publication 
of her Memoirs. Sir Richard Phillips declined to publish 
the work, for several reasons of a private and political na- 
ture: perhaps, not choosing to expose himself to public no- 
tice, as the publisher of a work which is likely to create 
much political interest, at least while the novelty of the thing 
lasts. The unqualified, and, we trust, unjust reproaches, 
to which Sir Richard Phillips has of late been exposed, have 
doubtless taught him some useful lessons of caution and re- 
serve. Though Sir Richard Phillips declined to become the 
purchaser of Mrs. Clarke's MS., he promised to recommend 
her to a publisher who would treat her justly and liberally. 
At the same time, Sir Richard told Mrs. Clarke, he con- 
ceived, if she could obtain the arrears of her annuity from 
the Duke, and a legal settlement for the payment of it in fu- 
ture, together with the payment of all debts contracted 
during her late connection with His Royal Highness, it 
would much better answer her purpose to suppress the publi- 



' 



9$ 

cation altogether. To this reasonable proposition Mrs. Clarke 
immediately consented. Hut a difficulty arose as to the 
means of making this known to such persons as had it in their 
power to carry the plan into execution. Sir Richard ac- 
cordingly agreed to open the business to a certain noble lord, 
to whom he made known the projected plan of accommoda- 
tion. On this, a string of propositions were drawn up, and 
assented to by Mrs. Clarke; 4>ut, in a very short time after 
this arrangement had been made,- .Mrs. Clarke retracted her 
assent, aud had the impolicy to make a further demand of 
.s£2,000. This unexpected proposition excited the surprise 
aud indignation of her friend and negociator, and he very 
prudently declined any farther interference in the business* 



HE luUi>« 



Rideh and Wxed, Printers, Little Britain. 






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